American muscle cars got their name because of their big, powerful engines and fast speed. Some of the gas-powered cars are so noisy, or even "thundering". But interest worldwide in electric cars brings up this question: Can a muscle car go electric?
Car fans who loved the classic, powerful cars that used a lot of fuel are called "gearheads". While the new battery-powered cars go fast and are easier to control than cars with big engines, they do not make much noise. Will "gearheads" someday become "battery-heads"? Stellantis, a carmaker, hopes so.
The company will stop making gas-powered versions of the Challenger and Charger by the end of 2023. Many European automakers already have electric versions of their high-performance cars. Governments around the world are now requiring cars to create less pollution, and so is America. As a result, plenty of carmakers are starting to centre their production on electric cars.
Tim Kuniskis leads the Dodge division for Stellantis. "It's tough," he said when discussing the idea that governments are considering financial punishments for companies that do not meet new requirements to reduce fuel use. Sam Abuelsamid, a researcher for Guidehouse Insights, said some carmakers will keep making models with traditional engines for about 10 years.
Dodge is working to improve its cars' use of fuel but also keep the gearheads interested. A recent demonstration by Dodge showed off such a car that made a noise just like a muscle car even if they are using batteries.
Kuniskis, however, is a critic of his own company's new electric Charger. "It doesn't have the emotion," he said, speaking of the electric cars. "It doesn't have the drama. It doesn't have the dangerous feeling of an engine." But he did say that it would be the fastest ever. Times are changing. Businesses are starting to think about how to put electric driving systems into the "classic" cars. As he put it, "this isn't about my generation, and the future is not the end of the muscle car."
