Stellantis Invests $29.5 Million In Wind Tunnel Tech To Boost EV Range

Now I get it, for various reasons alot of us aren't really interested in the EV market for whatever reason. I've been trying to look at this whole thing, especially with the Mopar vehicles and yesterday an idea came to my mind. At this point, no matter what, like it or not, EVs are here to stay and the market for EVs, while it may be slowing down, is still expanding. Stellantis is trying to do things different with the EV Charger but the reception hasn't been great for this thing. But what if, this car and cars like it can open up and opportunity for something truly amazing and would actually help the sport of drag racing continue into the future? Its no secret that drag strips are closing down left and right for various reason but what if the new Charger gave us the ability to have drag strips and motorsports parks within city limits due to the fact that they're no where near as loud as a blown drag car. I think it's time that we start looking at what are the potential benefits of what this new car might actually be able to bring to the table. It's true that these are not the muscle cars of the '60's and '70's but if these cars can give us the opportunity to keep drag racing and the motorsports alive along with making it more accessable to people, then that's a plus. Now, I'm not going to sit here and say that having an EV motorsports park in urban is going to end street racing or people doing donuts and burnouts in the street but what I will say is that a motorsports park that doesn't have to go through extensive lengths to be sound ordinance compliant could shine a different light on performance EVs such as the new Charger and bring about some competition between brands, just like what the muscle cars have been doing since their inception.
It goes without saying that the leadership at Stellantis is absolutely horrible and while Carlos is the face of all things horrible with Stellantis. I'm sure he can not take credit for all of what is wrong with the brand right now. Does he need to be removed from his position and be replaced with someone more qualified for the job, ABSOLUTELY. However, all is not lost with the brand and I'm not 100% certain that the EV Charger will flop as hard as alot of people say that it will. I will say that Stellantis absolutely botched the release of this car and they should have let the Charger & Challenger duo continue on as they were with some upgrades while they got the new cars together. There is no reason at all that they couldn't have let both cars live on side by side (the original plan) until the new one phased out the old cars. That's what was originally presented to the public when the news that the new cars were coming was first released. Having a few last call special edition cars would have been great and then let the Challenger & Charger continue for the next two or three years minus the hellcat powertrains, keeping around the 3.6L and the 5.7L Hemi and maybe have the 5.7L Hemi upgraded a bit with the 6.4L Heads and cam package, a 6.1L intake manifold, and the Hellcat exhaust system with a tune (pretty much the old Scat Pack Stage-3 kit that Mopar used to offer) and have the hemi running around with 445hp for it's last year or so which would have been pretty decent. The six pack should have come out first with the EV cars coming in with low production numbers just to test the waters before being mass produced. The thing is, this Charger EV has some serious potential to it but I feel like most people are so close minded towards the thought of an EV that they don't see the car for what it is. First thing first, this is not going to be a Tesla. This car is not going to be some soul-less boring, unengaging car. This car, if done right, has alot of potential to be one of the most amazing EV performance cars out there. To me, both cars should just come with the stage 2 packages as stock but I like the idea in showing that an EV can be upgraded and that should really make people interested because that means this car has the ability to be modified for improved performance. I also like the fact that this car will have some mechanical hardware to it's drivetrain such as a 3-speed gearbox, which is something that should be on every trim level of the EV Chargers from the Daytona R/T all the way up to the Banshee. Not only will that add an organic characteristic to the car but it also improves range and it improves acceleration. It also means the potential of an upgradeable differential. The new articles talking about the fleet of Daytonas with lighter battery technology that not only reduces the car's overall weight but also reduces charging times and adds improvement to the range the vehicle can go now couples with the three-speed gearbox meaning that not only is this vehicle more practical but it's also faster. Now they're toting this Charger Daytona Scat Pack to have performance that outshines the 717hp Hellcat and that is "as is." You then add the improvements of reduced weight and a better gearbox for improved acceleration and that moves you that much further beyond what a Hellcat can offer in terms of all out speed and now you have a performance EV that has sound and feeling. That's not a bad thing. Even with the Daytona R/T Stage 2 with 590hp. With reduced weight and a better gearbox and differential that should be more than enough to compete with vehicles like the Tesla Model-3 performance, even though the Model-3 is still a smaller and potentially lighter car (I'm referring to what the car may weigh with the alternate battery type). Another thing is that EV's are still vehicles that can be modified and the stage packages are testament to this. But there are other companies out there that are already modifying EVs for more performance when it comes to power. Now some may balk at this because it's not traditional, but just like the switch from Carburetion to fuel injection as time moves on we learned how to tune fuel injected cars just like people learned how to tune the jets on a Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel (or Holley or Edelbrock, etc.). It's not going to be long before the tuning companies get their hands on these cars and figure out how to tweak them for more power. Or some aftermarket suspension company comes out with a bunch of handling upgrades, which would definitely be a plus as EVs already have an advantage for handling with their evenly disperse low center of gravity. We're going to see high performance axles, we're going to see styling upgrades, wheels, lights and everything else for this car. One of the biggest things we're going to see for this car is aftermarket options for the Fratzonic system this car has. As most of us know, Borla was first to market with an Active sound system for EVs with their kits for the Mach E. Now we know, Borla is known for their Acoustically Tuned Applied Kinetics technology along with their polyphonic technology and all of their sound tuning knowledge. Who's to say that this same company that we know and love can't do something special for this new performance oriented EV? A system that takes everything Borla knows about tuning, amplifying, resonating and muffling sounds through pipes and chambers and takes what Dodge has done and modifies it to something beautiful. A system that provides audible and haptic feedback throughout the vehicle in three different sound levels, Touring, S-Type & ATAK but can also be turned off if and when the driver wants a silent ride all from a control mounted on the dash. A system that can provide a rear diffuser and actual Borla tips in different configurations that all help to amplify the sound like megaphones out of the back of the car with the same million mile warranty that all Borla products are known to have. This car already had drive modes along with an upcoming roll race mode so to me, the Daytona has alot of potential but this also means any performance vehicle on the STLA: Large platform will have this same level of potential. The Wagoneer S, the Recon, the Dodge Stealth upcoming SUV and whatever Stellantis has for the future of our beloved brands can all have this same potential. What makes this even crazier is the fact that these vehicles are just options. Just think about it for a moment those are optional powertrains on their own trim models. Those are additional to the the potential portfolio of what could ( and should) be coming down the line for the brand. We still have Hurricane options, we still have 4Xe options with the new 8-speed hybrid transmission and we still have the Pentastar 3.6L V6. The only problem Stellantis really has is it's embarrassingly inadequate management and an absolute failure of a CEO. I still have hope for the brand, but not with it's current misleadershp.

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During the late 90's and the early 2000's Chrysler had some very aerodynamic designs with their Chrysler 300M, Chrysler LHS & Chrysler Concorde models. Granted they were all pretty much the same vehicle with the 300 being the sportier of these luxury models, They all had a very sleek, aerodynamic design which could definitely be used with the next-generation Chryslers on the STLA: Large platform. The return of the Chrysler 300M would definitely be a great way to dig into the pockets of Tesla customers with a car that offers a sleek, sculpted design that hearkens back to the styling of the 300M both inside and out but obviously more modern and with a few cool aero upgrades that pay homage to some of the Mopar vehicles of the past. Going back to the '70 Chrysler 300 Hurst, the car had an integrated rear spoiler on the trunk that performed similarly to the R-wing on the new Charger or the rear wing on the Wagoneer S as it added improved aerodynamics without blending in the body lines of the car. blending that kind of pass-through design with a wicker bill on the top blade of the integrated trunk spoiler blending in with a sleek design and a racetrack taillight setup that hearkens back to the 1970 Chrysler 300H would bring back the 300M special in a very sporty way. add in the 300M style aerodynamic lower body work along with the widebody stance like the Charger Daytona and now we can start to see the Chrysler 300M really come into it's own. The front end should have the 300M's upper and lower grille styling, just modernized and designed like the Charger's R-Wing but a little bit different so that it's design matches the authoritative sleekness this new 300M would have. The inside of this car should also not be minimalistic, it should be a full interior like a regular car and it should feel like a Chrysler 300. As far as power, this car should have an SRT Banshee variant with a 800V Tri-Motor setup and a three speed gearbox with the solid state batteries, Fratzonic sound systems, drive modes, roll race mode and all of that kind of stuff that makes these Mopar EVs special. Even on the 400v systems, the 3-speed gearbox and Fratzonic systems could still be offered as well, even as options on some trim levels. When you look at it like this, you can start to understand the EV direction that Stellantis could take with the Mopar brands and what we could possibly see from the aftermarket performance companies out there that can take to these EVs and make them even more unique. Vehicles like this idea for the return of the 300M, the Charger Daytona, the Wagoneer S, the upcoming Stealth crossover, and the Recon all share in this potential to be what the EV world is desperately missing. Honestly, I think it'd be pretty cool to see an SRT EV lineup with a Charger Daytona SRT Banshee, a Chrysler 300M SRT Banshee, a Jeep Wagoneer S SRT Banshee, a Dodge Stealth SRT Banshee & a Jeep Recon SRT Banshee (If the Mercedes G-Wagon can have an AMG option, a Recon can have a tri-motor banshee setup). Keep in mind EVs aren't the only direction the Mopar brands are going because the Hurricane and 4Xe vehicles are still going to be available as well and if the majority of the upcoming Mopar vehicles are going to be build on the STLA Large & Frame platforms, then both sides will benefit from the technology that their platforms offer.
The other part of Mopar electrification is the STLA: Frame platform vehicles, which include the Ram 1500 pickup trucks and the next generation of the Jeep Wagoneer & Grand Wagoneer SUVs and hopefully a few other SUVs that may include a full size Durango to compete with the Tahoe & Yukon. While the performance may be there with Tri-motor setups. Adding things to these vehicles such as the lighter and faster charging solid state batteries, which are designed to increase range, a three-speed gearbox which also aids in increasing range, plus the 3.6L Range extender and now you have EVs that have enough power and range to really make them practical and not feel like EVs. This is how you can get improved towing capacity, range and performance out of electric full size SUVs and trucks and make them fairly decent everyday vehicles. Now, me being the person that I am, I will always think about performance and I don't see any issue with the Stellantis brands bringing out a full size Durango SRT Banshee, a Ram 1500 SRT Banshee and a Grand Wagoneer SRT Banshee as a trio of full size performance vehicles all designed to dominate the segment that Cadillac plays in with the Escalade V. a Durango that can Rival the Tahoe & Expedition in cargo capacity and towing capacity but exceed the Escalade V in performance along with having a big American rumble to it, even if it's electric, is fine for me. Not to mention having all of that and having it with the luxury of a Grand Wagoneer. Even a full size Durango Citadel that rivals a GMC Yukon Denali as a well appointed full size SUV with a 400V 670hp dual motor setup would be nice along with an R/T version to rival the Tahoe RST with 670hp and a 670hp Durango Ramcharger Rebel to be the off road king of the full size SUVs. There also needs to be a few good all terrain Jeeps that make their way onto the STLA Frame platform with retro styling and minimalistic, but still well appointed interiors, especially with Scout bringing out there two new vehicles. To me, this is the perfect opportunity to move the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a Golden Eagle trim to the frame platform and bring back the SJ styling both inside and out and have a rival to the new Scout Traveler, all while taking the Cherokee and moving it to the STLA large platform with the SJ styling but still smaller than the fame platform Grand Cherokee. An electric Jeep J10 Honcho would rival the Scout Terra pickup truck with modern retro style and a full EV 400V powertrain, both the Grand Cherokee and the J10 Honcho would be pushing between 590hp and 630hp with dual motors and 3-speed transmissions and solid axles.
If 50% of the Mopar fleet has to be EV, it still needs to be Mopar at the end of the day. Does that leave room for autonomy, and silent efficiency, absolutely. There are people who enjoy those aspects of EVs so yes it makes sense to offer some of the EV packages with autonomous and silent features. But for the Mopar brands, those can not be at the forefront of what these vehicles are about. These are not Teslas and they should not behave like a Tesla, even if they compete in the same space. If this is 50% of the market space, take another 40% of the market space with the STLA Large & Frame platform vehicles like the ones mentioned above and make them hybrids. Not like the Hornet, but take those same Hurricane-6 engines and drop the new Gen-4 ZF hybrid 8-speed in behind it and make everything AWD but keep the same attitude and direction of vehicles like the six pack Chargers, the Ram RHO and vehicles like that and keep Direct Connection as relevant as the aftermarket performance and styling companies out there or even include some of their parts as Mopar Approved aftermarket upgrades for these vehicles. That's 90% of the entire Mopar fleet (non commercial/HD) that is either electric or electrified and offer zero emissions driving at certain or all points of operation and still allows these vehicles to connect with current fans and attract new ones. That last 10% is for something special. That last 10% goes what Mopar has been since the '60s and '70's. Raw V8 muscle. I can think of no better Mopars on the STLA Large platform for this than a Dodge Dart and a Dodge Coronet with a naturally aspirated 318ci and a supercharged 318ci V8 (5.2L which would match the engine size of the Mustang GT500 and the Raptor R. Both having the 8-speed hybrid transmission. If Mopar is going to have a future and it has to be electric and electrified, I see no reason why this shouldn't be it.

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