Dodge will discontinue its Charger and Challenger muscle cars by the end of 2023 as the brand shifts its focus to producing more electric vehicles.
The models have been popular — and profitable — since being reintroduced in the mid-to-late 2000s, but the company’s lagging emissions profile has made them necessary cuts, according to CNBC.
The outlet reported that Dodge’s parent company Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, ranks the worst among major manufacturers for U.S. corporate average fuel economy and carbon emissions.
For example, in 2015 when Dodge released its souped-up Challenger model — the nearly $90,000, 700-horsepower Hellcat — other brands were already making the transition to more environmentally friendly models.