Canadian Dodge dealers breathing sigh of relief in wake of brand's EV plan

Canadian Dodge dealers — who have gone without new product for years and were living in uncertainty after FCA became Stellantis — are breathing a little easier after introductions of the new 2023 Hornet compact crossover as well as a performance electric halo concept vehicle.

Retailers had been eager to learn more about Stellantis’ electrification strategy that was announced early this year, said Mike McManes, dealer principal at South Trail Chrysler in Calgary.

“With Stellantis, there was a lot of unknowns for so long with where they were going to be. And all of the sudden, they did make some announcements, so it’s like, you know what, I think we’re in pretty good hands.

“Knowing that they are going to be in the mix, because that’s what the market thinks they want, it’s nice to know that we do have [EV] technology within the corporation.”

On Aug. 17, Dodge unveiled the battery-electric Charger Daytona SRT Concept as a potential future muscle car for the brand. The company had previously said production of the current gasoline-powered Challenger and Charger will end when the plant in Brampton, Ont., retools for new product in 2024.

The EV concept was unveiled a day after the Hornet, which will be available as a plug-in hybrid. It will also be the first electrified Dodge performance model.

While the fate of the current Charger and Challenger appears to be sealed, “We’re looking at the next-generation Charger and Challenger moving to Windsor [Assembly],” Sam Fiorani of U.S.-based AutoForecast Solutions said in a Sept. 9 Automotive News Canada Podcast. With a new battery plant being built nearby, electrification of the two cars “makes the most sense,” he said. “Charger and Challenger are just part of the package.”

The move was not confirmed by Stellantis. Windsor Assembly currently builds the Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

Stellantis announced its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan on March 1. By the end of the decade, the automaker wants all sales in Europe and half in the United States to be battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).

Stellantis plans to have 75 BEVs on the market by 2030, 25 of which will be sold in Canada. Plug-in hybrid models will also play a role in the strategic plan, the company said.

The Hornet, Dodge’s first entirely new model since the Durango SUV debuted in late 2010, will launch in Canada next year with a 2.0-litre gasoline engine. The plug-in hybrid model will arrive at a yet-to-be-confirmed date.

BUZZ OVER THE HORNET

Bill Johnston, vice-president of Johnston Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram-Fiat in Hamilton, Ont., and the head of the Canadian Stellantis dealer council, is eager to receive a new mass-market model such as the Hornet and sees the plug-in hybrid variant as an appropriate first step toward Stellantis’ electric future.

“The small-SUV segment where the Hornet is going to play into is just a huge segment and a great opportunity for us,” he said. “And quite frankly, until the infrastructure is there across the country, the PHEV strategy can give the consumer some choices, and they are able to take advantage of the electrification but at the same time have some comfort if they’re concerned about whether the infrastructure is there for them to support an electric vehicle.”

The hybrid powertrain combines a turbocharged 1.3-litre engine with a single electric motor driving the rear wheels. This combination will produce an estimated 285 horsepower and provide a claimed 48 kilometres of electric-only driving. Production will begin at Stellantis’ plant in Naples, Italy, this year — the Hornet uses the platform from the Alfa Romeo Tonale — but it will take awhile for vehicles to reach Canadian shores, Johnston said.

“Unfortunately, before it’s going to land on our lot, it’s probably five if not six months away, so we don’t have a mad rush there, but ... lots of customers asking about the vehicle.”

LAST CALL FOR GAS

For the current Challenger and Charger, Stellantis will release seven Last Call special-edition models for 2023. Together, they will be limited to 1,000 units and will feature exclusive exterior colour themes and other changes to set them apart.

Stellantis in August confirmed the end of the current Challenger and Charger, but enthusiasts of the brand had been expecting the announcement, Johnston said.

“With all the rumours about this for the last year or two, we’ve seen an uptick in [interest in] these muscle cars for the last 12 months.” The immediate response to the special-edition models has also been strong.

The Charger Daytona SRT Concept that Dodge debuted in August is intended to “preview the brand’s electrified future,” Stellantis said in a media release, giving customers a rough idea of what to expect from a potential future electric Dodge muscle car.

The concept features an 800-volt all-wheel-drive electric powertrain and takes design inspiration from the 1968 Dodge Charger.

Johnston said he thinks that plenty of customers will be willing to purchase an electric muscle car.

“This segment is not the size of the Ram pickup truck segment or the small-SUV segment,” he said. “It is more a niche segment, but I don’t see the demand changing.”