Muscle cars put on ice: 'Last call' for Dodge Charger, Challenger V8s



Two of Dodge's most iconic "muscle" cars will soon lose their tone. Beginning in December 2023, the Dodge Charger and Challenger will no longer feature the sound, feel, and smell of the V8 internal combustion engine as the company transitions ever further to electric vehicle formats.

"We are celebrating the end of an era — and the start of a bright new electrified future — by staying true to our brand,” said Dodge Brand CEO Tim Kuniskis. "At Dodge, we never lift, and the brand will mark the last of our iconic Charger and Challenger nameplates in the current form in the same way that got us here, with a passion both for our products and our enthusiasts that drives us to create as much uniqueness in the muscle car community and marketplace as possible."

And Dodge is certainly looking to retire the old-engine muscle cars with a bang. Six new versions of the cars will debut in the next few weeks, while a seventh is set to debut at the SEMA auto show in Las Vegas this November, according to Fox News.

In addition, each 2023 Challenger and Charger model will be outfitted with a "Last Call" decal on its hood. The cost for the cars varies considerably, from low $30,000s to $90,000 for the Hellcat model.

Should buyers prefer a convertible model, they will have the opportunity to retrofit a convertible top onto the Challenger model — for a price. The added convertible top will tack an additional $26,000 onto the bottom line.

Though the move to an electric version of the two cars is drastic, the Challenger and Charger have undergone a major renovation before. The two were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s, but were then shelved for nearly two decades, often in favor of models that better accorded with newly imposed environmental regulations.

Dodge then reintroduced the Charger in 2005 and the Challenger three years later. Both cars have been manufactured at the Dodge factor in Brampton, Ontario, in Canada ever since.

Dodge expects to release an electric muscle car in 2024.

Left-wing lawmakers say the absence of a common standard for electronics chargers causes 'economic and environmental harm' — and they want the government to step in



In a letter last month to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, three left-wing lawmakers took issue with the lack of uniformity among the chargers used to power electronic gadgets, and urged the U.S. government to tackle the issue.

"We write regarding the economic and environmental harm inflicted by the consumer electronics industry’s failure to establish uniform charging accessory standards — a shortcoming that requires consumers to frequently change their charging accessories. This planned obsolescence is expensive and frustrating for consumers, and drives the proliferation of electronic waste (ewaste)," Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in the letter.

The European Union plans to mandate USB Type-C as the required charging port for various electronic devices. The liberal senators wrote, "we urge you to follow the EU’s lead by developing a comprehensive strategy to address unnecessary consumer costs, mitigate e-waste, and restore sanity and certainty to the process of purchasing new electronics."

"We urge you to coordinate with offices and agencies across the Department of Commerce to develop a comprehensive plan that will protect both consumers and the environment by addressing the lack of a common U.S. charging standard," they wrote.

The legislators' letter focusing on the topic of chargers came even as Americans continued to face pressing economic burdens amid soaring inflation and high gas prices.

Warren tweeted on Thursday, "Consumers shouldn’t have to keep buying new chargers all the time for different devices. We can clear things up with uniform standards—for less expense, less hassle, and less waste."

While many people supported the idea, others were not on board with the prospect of such government meddling.

"Government-standardized technology to spare us from innovation? Elizabeth Warren has apparently discovered the fountain of bad ideas," Reason contributing editor J.D. Tuccille tweeted.

"No one should ever trust the government for advice on reducing waste," conservative radio host Dana Loesch tweeted.

"It's in the Constitution: The Congress shall have Power to establish a uniform Rule on the subject of mobile device Chargers," former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash sarcastically tweeted. "This will not improve everybody’s life; it will stifle innovation and harm consumers. In any case, constitutionality isn’t based on whether someone—or even everyone—likes the law," he noted in another tweet.

\u201cIt\u2019s in the Constitution:\n\nThe Congress shall have Power to establish a uniform Rule on the subject of mobile device Chargers.\u201d
— Justin Amash (@Justin Amash) 1657222113