American carmakers will lean on technology to keep the horsepower wars going among their electric muscle cars, a tectonic shift from the big, rumbling motors of the past.
"It might be the beginning of the end of the V8-powered, gas-engine muscle car," said car auction website owner Doug DeMuro, adding that the differentiation of electric muscle cars from regular family cars will come down to"weird equipment or extras that other cars don't have." However, demand had begun to taper off in the 1970s because of rising fuel prices and was hit hard by record gas prices during the Gulf War, giving way to smaller, more fuel-efficient Japanese rivals such as Honda Motor Co's Civic and Toyota Motor Corp's Corolla.
GM and Dodge have both issued timelines to stop selling gas-powered muscle cars and replace them with electric variants that will wear the same badges. Dodge's Charger and Challenger muscle cars will not be made next year, while Chevrolet has laid out plans for an electric Corvette. Dodge has said it will transition its muscle cars to an electric platform, and is working to differentiate those models.
Dodge launched a concept Charger Daytona EV last August with features to mimic the feel of driving a gas-powered car that appeals to enthusiasts, including an"exhaust" note, and the ability to shift gears, unlike most EVs.Ford, which sells an electric SUV that wears the same badge as the Mustang, said its Ford Power-Up over-the-air software updates create an"upgradable ownership experience" over time.
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