Dodge is known as being the most “against the grain” car company and you only need to see their bonkers, supercharged V-8 models to see it’s true. However, even Chrysler is forced to move with the times, and the company’s transition to electric powertrains is already in motion. With that in mind, Dodge has big plans for the upcoming, 2022 Woodward Dream Cruise, in an event known as the Dodge Speed Week. Over a few days, Dodge will announce three models that will shed light on the brand’s future plans.
The five days of Dodge Speed Week – August 12 to 17 – will culminate in the last three days. Day three will be dedicated to the “current muscle” announcement. We know that the Dodge Challenger and Charger, and their respective Hellcat variants (and their derivatives), will be discontinued by 2024. With that in mind, it is expected that the “current” muscle announcement will be about one or more send-off variants of the iconic Muscle car duo.
Day four will be about the “gateway muscle” announcement. This is expected to be the reveal of the Dodge Hornet compact SUV (CUV). The model is, essentially, a reskinned Alfa Romeo Tonale, and will be Dodge’s foothold in the Plug-in Hybrid segment. The Dodge Hornet will be different enough from its technological twin, the Tonale. However, it is expected to feature cheaper materials than its more luxurious, Italian counterpart.
We expect the same powertrain as the Tonale, which is a turbocharged inline-four, coupled to an electric motor. The system output is rated at 272 horsepower, which drives the front wheels. An all-wheel-drive, “4xe” variant is also expected to be on offer.
Day five of Dodge Speed Week will mark the grand finale, with the “future muscle” announcement. That one is expected to be the 2024 electric Muscle car by Dodge. With the lineup of performance-oriented MOPARs scheduled for retirement, for the 2023 model year, EV muscles are just around the corner. The electrified Muscle car by Dodge will ride on one of four new platforms despite initial rumors that the old Mercedes platform will be retrofitted for use in EVs.
There are still a lot of questions without answers, however. We know that an all-electric RAM 1500 is also scheduled to arrive, sometime in 2024, but at this point, Stellantis is keeping a tight lip. The mystery surrounding the 2024 Dodge Barracuda remains unsolved, despite reports that Dodge dealers have already witnessed a production version, behind closed doors. The alliance, which spawned Stellantis certainly helped push Dodge towards the electrification route, but we are still curious what an EV Muscle car from Dodge would be like when it finally arrives.