You may have heard Vin Diesel ask the question… “Why on God’s green earth would Dodge make an electric vehicle? … his response: “performance made them do it.” His response is partially true. Now we all know that the real reason for Dodge’s pivot to EV technology has more to do with the government and politics than anything else. Reuters wrote a story on August 18th explaining that the NHTSA through the Biden Administration could fine Stellantis over 600 million dollars in civil penalties for missed emission targets. Through the present moment, Stellantis has eaten these penalties by passing the buck. We’ve all been paying for these penalties when we purchase these cars. But with fines ever increasing, it was just a matter of time before Stellantis had to waive the white flag… but did they?
If you watched Speed Week, the head of Dodge Brand Tim Kuniskis unveiled the tangible concept vehicle for Dodge’s 1st ever EV, a brand new 2-door Dodge Charger. He explained the EV vehicle would be made available with 3 power levels. Owners will also be able to upgrade their Chargers through the Direct Connection program where they will be able to purchase 9 power level upgrade packs which are rumored to unleash horsepower numbers with 4 digits. They will also be able to unlock additional features including Slam, Drift, Drag, and Donut modes.
Now in case you haven’t heard, although it has already been heavily criticized like anything “new,” Dodge understands that Dodge muscle car enthusiasts want a vehicle that is not just fast, but loud. To dispel any misunderstandings, the Dodge Charger EV will feature an amplified chambered Fratzonic Exhaust System. This exhaust system is 126 decibels of output. Some say the chambered exhaust is amplifying the actual transmission noise of the eRupt, multi-speed transmission while others are still convinced it’s nothing more than a loud speaker. Dodge hasn’t exactly let the “cat out the bag” with what exactly the Fratzonic exhaust is, mostly due to the fact they still have patents pending.
Like anything new, branding is key. For those of you who are old-school muscle car enthusiasts, the logo seen in all of the teaser videos may be something somewhat familiar to you. Not sure where you’ve seen it before? In the 1960s-1970s, you would see the Fratzog logo all over Dodge cars. It started as a vehicle emblem in 1962 on the Dodge Polara 500 and 880. Showcased on anything from steering wheel horns to wheel caps, to hood ornaments, the Fratzog logo was everywhere… but no one really knew what it meant…. including Dodge. Now the Fratzog logo will have clear meaning, as it brands the front and rear of the new concept Charger EV, the Fratzog logo is the new logo for Dodge EV era.
