Photo: Eric Seals ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
DETROIT, Aug. 19, 2025 ~ Slow sales and federal attitude shifts towards electric vehicles have the Dodge brand reversing a previous decision to go all-in on EV muscle cars, recently introducing a gas-powered Dodge Charger.
The 2026 Charger Scat Pack will feature a gas-powered, six-cylinder engine, introduced amid slow sales for the vehicle’s EV equivalent and federal tax credits coming to an end on Sept. 30. “Dodge (is) known as the muscle car brand and so they’ve always had a audience that’s really been into big engines, and Hemi V8s,” Luke Ramseth, Detroit News autos and business reporter, told WJR.
“A year ago, they rolled out this EV Dodge Charger, which they’re still selling and touting, but it makes a sound like a V8. This year, under (the) Trump administration that has rolled back a number of emissions and fuel economy standards, they’re back to touting real V8s in the Durango and pushing out this gas-powered Charger muscle car, so kind of a turning-back-the-clock moment for them a little bit, which I think definitely makes their core muscle car gearhead audience probably pretty happy.“
PODCAST:
Aug. 19, 2025 ~ Luke Ramseth, Detroit News autos and business reporter, talks with Chris Renwick and Lloyd Jackson about Dodge reinforcing its muscle car identity by prioritizing V8 engines, signifying a deliberate move against the broader industry trend toward electric vehicles.
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