Dodge Wants to Electrify the Hellcat

In the quest for more torque surging to the wheels of the Hellcat, Dodge seems to be turning to what at first is an unlikely source: electrification. That’s surprising since the extreme muscle car has stood as a symbol of the might of internal combustion engines. So why the change?

First, Fiat Chrysler is lagging behind pretty much everyone else when it comes to hybrid tech. Maybe that doesn’t bother you, but it certainly bothers FCA investors and executives. The automaker is launching a new initiative to change that, and it will affect numerous vehicles. One of those is the Hellcat.

If this report turns out to be true, the Dodge Hellcat would use a mild hybrid setup, so don’t expect to be plugging your kitten in every night. Supposedly it would be similar to the hybrid system available for the Jeep Wrangler.

Instead of adding a ton of weight to the Hellcat, this hybrid system would apparently tip the scale at under 100 pounds. On the plus side, it might pour on an extra 130 lb.-ft. of torque. Can you really be upset about that kind of a performance uplift?

This move would also help Dodge keep ahead of the competition. It’s an interesting way to maintain that performance edge, but one we’ll probably see play out more often in the future.

Source: The Detroit Bureau