Dodge has made its stance on the climate of the automotive industry clear. The gas-powered car is dying, and Dodge refuses to let it go quietly. Still, by 2024, the Hemi V8 will be dead. Dodge is moving to what it calls "eMuscle," using smaller-displacement hybridized engines and electric powertrains later. However, there is a glimmer of hope. One last hurrah for internal combustion, if you will.
That could potentially come in the form of a one-off, even more ridiculous version of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye. Moreover, this special edition might even run on the ever-popular for tuners, E85 ethanol fuel.
The last Hellcat special edition, the Demon, was pumped up and could manage 840 horsepower on 100-octane or higher race gas. Rumors suggest that this newer, "last-hurrah" spec muscle car will run on E85. That's gas mixed with approximately 85% corn-based ethanol fuel. In this early stage, no one knows what kind of power this fuel can make. The Demon did 840 hp, but estimates say the new car's output could be as high as 850 hp.
Funnily enough, a gallon of E85, thanks to current gas prices, is actually cheaper than a gallon of standard 91-octane, with an average price of $3.82/gallon. This final special edition car will, predictably, be a limited-run model, just like the Demon. Reportedly, the special edition model will also tie in with Dodge's "Never Lift" campaign.
"Never Lift" is a roadmap for the Dodge brand. The intent is to detail the future of the brand. Dodge's CEO has previously said that the campaign will have the "future of our brand on display." We know that it will almost certainly include the upcoming electric Dodge Challenger.
We reached out to Dodge for comment, and the replay was a brief "we do not comment on rumors about future products, meaning that's all the info we have as of now." With potentially more power than the Demon, we at least have something to get excited about. What else Dodge does to the Challenger will determine whether or not it's something to get excited about, but for that, we'll have to wait.