2023 Dodge Challenger electric
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Leaked information posted online hints the next Dodge Challenger and Charger may not go purely electric just yet – and could hold onto petrol power, with six cylinders and twin turbochargers. Show  The end of the V8 era may be fast approaching, but a former employee has suggested the 2024 Dodge Challenger and 2024 Dodge Charger will adopt a new 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine. Earlier this month, Dodge announced its ‘Hemi’ family of V8 engines would no longer be fitted to the Challenger coupe and Charger sedan from late 2023 – with a new era of ‘eMuscle’ cars to instead harness electric power. However, while some versions of Dodge's future muscle cars will adopt electric motors – previewed last week as the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept – it now appears some versions may continue to be offered with petrol engines from an all-new, six-cylinder 'Hurricane' engine family. The adoption of the twin-turbo inline-six in the new-generation Dodge muscle cars has been rumoured in US media in recent months. However, information seen by Drive points to the Hurricane six-cylinder engine being adopted by the Challenger and Charger, thanks to an online post by a former worker. As an employee of Stellantis – Dodge’s parent company which includes brands such as Jeep and Ram, among others – the product engineer claimed he helped with creating new exhaust components for the Hurricane in the Challenger and Charger, according to one of his social media profiles. During his 15 months at the carmaker, he was responsible for the “release and design requirements of a new catalytic converter for the Dodge Charger/Challenger [Model Year 2024] 3.0-litre 'GMET6,'” his bio reads. The twin-turbo straight-six engine is referred to as the GMET6 internally by the US car giant, and will be offered in two states of tune: a standard-output version (SO) rumoured to produce at least 298kW and 610Nm, and a high-output version (HO) with at least 373kW and 644Nm. Website Mopar Insiders reports both the SO and the HO Hurricane engines will be offered in the Challenger and Charger, suggesting they could replace the entry-level 3.6-litre ‘Pentastar’ V6 and mid-range 5.7-litre ‘Hemi’ V8 options respectively. Meanwhile, a 400-volt electric powertrain could take the place of the 6.4-litre 'Scat Pack', with a flagship 800-volt ‘Banshee’ system replacing the high-performance 6.2-litre supercharged V8 from range-topping Hellcat models. While the six-cylinder will meet and exceed performance specifications of the outgoing naturally-aspirated V8 engines, the Hurricane engine has been designed to deliver fuel economy improvements, as well as providing improved emissions – by as much as 15 per cent. Dodge fans will be quick to reference a statement given to US website Motor1 earlier this month, following a report out of the US that the V8 Challenger and Charger will live on with new generations. "The story is incorrect. The Hemi in that platform, as well as that platform, are going away. The next generation will be BEV [battery-electric vehicle]," a spokesperson told the publication. However, this statement only rules out the fitment of a V8 engine – leaving the door open for a new six-cylinder muscle car on a brand-new platform, with an electric option. If these reports – and the information posted by an engineer – prove accurate, expect to see the six-cylinder 2024 Dodge Challenger and Charger revealed in production-ready guise some time next year. Buyers will be given until December 2023 to get their hands on what will be the last V8 engines from the muscle car company, when the final current-generation Challenger and Charger cars roll off the production line. Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than 15 years. Ben was previously an interstate truck driver and completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021. He is considered an expert in the area of classic car investment. Read more about Ben Zachariah Is Dodge going to make an electric Challenger?UPDATE: Dodge will release a series of "Last Call" Challenger and Charger models for 2023 before discontinuing gas-powered versions of both models, which will transition over to pure electric vehicles starting in 2024.
How much is the 2023 Dodge Charger electric?Pricing starts at $32,645. The 2023 Dodge Charger is in its swan song as the Dodge brand prepares for a future of electrified muscle cars. We expect the Charger name to continue, likely in some form of the Dodge Charger Daytona EV concept, but this is the final model year in its current form.
Is the Dodge Challenger being discontinued in 2023?Finally, Dodge confirmed that 2023 would see the last Challenger and Charger models in their current ICE-powered iterations. The automaker is bidding farewell to the beloved muscle cars with a fitting tribute: "Last Call" plaques underneath the hoods.
Is Dodge going fully electric?Stellantis' Dodge brand has unveiled the Charger Daytona SRT — a fully electric muscle concept car, a preview of what will be produced in 2024.
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