As the automotive world continues to pivot slowly toward electric vehicles, the future prospects for large, high-power internal combustion engines have become weaker. But instead of mourning the loss of what was one of the company’s most successful marketing measures, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis doesn’t seem at all worried that Hellcat V8 is a dying race.
“The days of a 6.2-liter V-8 supercharged iron block are numbered,” Kuniskis said. CNBC during a recent video interview. “They are absolutely numbered because of all the compliance costs. But the performance generated by these vehicles is not counted. ”
This is the last part that is the most fascinating: the days of Hellcat are numbered, not because consumers do not want them, but it will be reduced to those engines that are regulated from existence.
In fact, Kuniskis notices that Hellcat has exceeded expectations.
“What Hellcat has done far exceeds our initial expectations, as it far exceeds what makes a traditional, very high finish,” Kuniskis said. “In the last five years, we’ve sold over 50,000 Hellcats. There are many Hellcats in five years if you think you know the price of that car. ”
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Kuniskis compares this situation to the late 1970s, when the powers that be began to regulate the muscular machines of existence – but he hopes it won’t take decades to recover this time.
Part of this will come down to reinventing what Hellcat means, in large part by initiating a transition especially from combustion engines and instead emphasizing overall performance. It’s a bold concept, as most car enthusiasts will be hard pressed to unleash “Hellcat” from the “big, powerful engine.” But I must admit, highlighting performance in some cases and not just the economy will be an important factor in bringing the same enthusiasts aboard electric vehicles.
There is no difficult timeline yet, but when the Hellcat name arrives on an EV, don’t say Kuniskis didn’t tell you.