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From the May 2023 issue of Car and Driver. WHAT IT ISDoes an electric muscle car still sound shocking? Well, Dodge appears to be making one. The next Charger is a muscular two-door with styling cues from its second-generation ’60s namesake and a powertrain from the future—or at least, the leading edge of the present. WHY IT MATTERSWe would have bet that Dodge would be the last gas-burning holdout, striping 11s on internal-combustion island as the automotive market quietly whirred and recharged around it. Instead, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis declared the “brotherhood of muscle,” going forward, will be battery-powered. PLATFORMBeneath the Charger’s bulked-up body is Stellantis’s STLA Large platform. POWERTRAINThe entry-level Charger 340 gets a 400-volt propulsion system and 455 horsepower, while the midrange 440 (the electric Scat Pack, if you will) boasts 590 horsepower. Both models can receive over-the-air horsepower bumps through Dodge Direct Connection, and a multi-speed transmission is promised. The top Banshee model will have an 800-volt architecture, and we predict that if the lesser models don’t have two motors, the Banshee will. The horsepower rating is a secret, but Dodge promises the Banshee will eclipse the gas-powered Hellcat in all performance metrics. That includes sound, with the Charger EV’s amplifying chamber “exhaust” tuned to 126 decibels. COMPETITIONNothing on the market hits the same pressure points as the Charger EV. The Mustang Mach-E is quick, domestic, and wears a muscle-car name, but its SUV body puts it in a different category. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONGThe Mopar faithful might come carrying pitchforks and torches and burn the Stellantis castle to the ground before they accept an electric muscle car. ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICEIf the stars align, we could see the Charger EV in 2024 with a starting price somewhere around that of a current 392 Hemi model; expect to pay at least $50K.Old and NewSenior Editor, Features
Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews.    More

Last August, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act. Among its hundreds of pages were measures to restructure the federal tax incentive for buying a plug-in vehicle and boost U.S. production of EVs and their batteries. Much confusion ensued.Final guidance was issued by the U.S. Treasury on March 31, meaning next Tuesday, April 18, is the day everything changes. That day, only battery-electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles assembled in North America (U.S., Canada, or Mexico), with MSRPs less than $55,000 for cars and $80,000 for SUVs and light trucks, will qualify for purchase incentives up to $7500. Equally challenging, the sources of certain percentages of their battery minerals and components are restricted to a specific list of countries—one that notably does not include China, by far the world’s largest source of those components today.Regrettably, the EPA says it will not revise its list of eligible EVs until April 17—the day before the new rules come into effect. And note that commercial-fleet customers that lease their EVs can qualify for the full incentives regardless of the factors above.In a statement, Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella told Reuters the requirement that EVs must be assembled in North America to qualify for any credit eliminated 70 percent of EV models on sale today. More DetailsCar and Driver reached out to automakers to ask whether their batteries and minerals were compliant with the new regulations as well. The short answer? It’s complicated.Looking at the EVs on the market for 2023, winners and losers in the incentives game start to emerge based on where they’re built. Here is our non-comprehensive list of where we stand for retail buyers a week before the new rules take effect.The Apparent Winners CHEVROLET, GMC, CADILLAC: General Motors not only plans to build all its future EVs in North America but has announced numerous mineral-sourcing contracts and is setting up at least three battery plants as joint ventures with its longtime cell partner LG Energy Solutions.Cadillac Lyriq.CadillacThe company gave Car and Driver a statement that read: “We expect a number of our Ultium-based EVs, including the Cadillac Lyriq and additional EVs launching this year like the Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV and Blazer EV SUV, to qualify for the full $7500 credit in 2023.” Of those, only the Lyriq is presently in production, albeit at low volumes thus far. Matthew Ybarra, GM senior manager of public policy communication, added that future versions of the upcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup truck that are priced under $80,000 will also qualify.Left open is the question of whether the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV, built in Michigan, qualify for the full $7500. Ybarra told Car and Driver that the company expects both Bolts “to qualify for some level of credit even after the new rules go into effect on April 18” and promises to share an update “in the near future.” Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring hybrid.LincolnFORD, LINCOLN: Last Wednesday, Ford said all six of the vehicles with plugs it now sells will be eligible for at least partial IRA credits. The Detroit-built Ford F-150 Lightning EV pickup gets the full $7500, as does the Chicago-built Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug-in hybrid. The Mustang Mach-E (built in Mexico), the e-Transit commercial van (Kansas City), and the Ford Escape PHEV and Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring (both built in Louisville) get $3750 based on either location or the sources of their battery components and assembly.TESLA: By far the largest U.S. maker of EVs, the Silicon Valley startup is now almost two decades old and has sold more than 4 million vehicles. It builds all four of its models and most of its battery packs in California, Nevada, and Texas, but its larger Model S and Model X exceed the price caps. Tesla does not communicate with the press, but it said 10 days ago it expects the rear-wheel-drive Model 3 to receive a lower tax credit—likely because of its China-sourced iron-phosphate battery.We won’t know until the final list of eligible vehicles drops, but perhaps compensating for more incentive cuts, earlier this month the company cut $5000 off the prices of Model S and Model X, $2000 off Model Y prices, and $1000 off the Model 3 sticker.Genesis Electrified GV70.GenesisGENESIS: This month, the Korean luxury brand is launching the Genesis Electrified GV70, a battery-electric version of its popular GV70 compact crossover. That version, and only that version, is now assembled in the Hyundai plant in Montgomery, Alabama. As of Monday, said Jarred Pellat, the brand’s senior manager for PR and communications, Genesis is “in the process of determining what, if any, portion of the EV tax credit the U.S. assembled Electrified GV70 qualifies for after the April 18 effective date.”Jeep Wrangler 4xe Sahara.StellantisSTELLANTIS (Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler): The Chrysler Pacifica (plug-in) Hybrid minivan and the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrids are built in North America. The Pacifica will keep the full credit of $7500, but the plug-in hybrid Jeeps will fall to $3750 each. The upcoming Dodge Hornet R/T plug-in hybrid is built in Italy, so it won’t qualify. Stellantis sells no battery-electric vehicles in North America today.Contenders HYUNDAI and KIA: Given these brands’ aggressive plans to launch a full array of EV models and the good reviews received by their newest models, it is undoubtedly a blow to their U.S. arms that all tax incentives will vanish on April 18. However, last May the company announced it will build a dedicated EV assembly plant in Georgia. Those plans have likely accelerated—meaning the first U.S.-built Hyundais and/or Kias might qualify for credits as soon as the end of next year.Nissan Leaf.Jay K. McNally/NissanNISSAN: The company has built Leaf battery-electric hatchbacks at its Smyrna, Tennessee, plant since 2013, with battery cells assembled in an adjacent facility. Ted Kreder, its senior manager of EV sales and strategy, told Car and Driver the company is still checking whether the Leaf—which he confirmed will continue into the 2024 model year—will qualify for incentives. The company’s new Ariya EV crossover, however, will not qualify.Volkswagen ID.4.VolkswagenVOLKSWAGEN, AUDI, other brands: The company started assembling its ID.4 electric compact SUV in Tennessee last July. But it is still assessing whether it qualifies for incentives. VW rep Mark Gillies told Car and Driver, “We are carefully reviewing the draft guidance and are consulting with our supply-chain partners to evaluate the Section 30D battery component and critical mineral requirements.”Longer term, VW feels it is well positioned. By 2030, it says it will offer 25 separate EV models in the U.S. among its stable of brands—not only VW but also Audi, Bentley, and Lamborghini. Last week, Volkswagen Group of American CEO Pablo Di Si told Bloomberg Television it expects all of those to qualify for the maximum $7500 in incentives.Honda Prologue.hondaHONDA and ACURA: The Japanese maker will launch the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX battery-electric SUVs in 2024. Both vehicles will be assembled in North America by GM on the company’s Ultium platform. Based on GM’s responses above, that should qualify both vehicles for full incentives.Will These Brands Miss Out? AUDI, BMW, MERCEDES-BENZ: Many of these brands’ several EVs currently exceed the price caps of $55,000 for passenger cars and $80,000 for SUVs. And lower-priced models like the Audi Q4 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQB SUV are not currently built in North America. Business leases to those who qualify may help significantly, but until they start building EVs in North America, the German luxury trio is out of luck.Toyota bZ4X.toyotaTOYOTA, LEXUS: The world’s most profitable mass-market carmaker has also been among the most reluctant to launch vehicles that plug in. It sells only four in the U.S. among its two brands, of which only the Toyota RAV4 Prime and Prius Prime plug-in hybrids do any significant volume. Those are both built in Japan (unlike all other RAV4s, which are assembled in North America). Its bZ4X crossover, launched and then recalled due to a problem in which the wheels might fall off, is built in Japan—no incentives. Ditto for the Lexus NX450h+ plug-in hybrid, the only variant of its NX not built in North America. In February, Toyota said it would build EVs at a plant in Kentucky, powered by batteries made in North Carolina. By the end of 2025, it hopes to build roughly 10,000 electric SUVs a month, selling as many as 200,000 EVs a year in the U.S. starting in 2026.Subaru Crosstrek.SubaruSUBARU: Its Solterra electric crossover is a rebadged Toyota bZ4X built in Japan, making it ineligible. The latest 2024 Crosstrek has just been released, and the company has stayed mum on whether it will add the (plug-in) hybrid version it offered for the previous generation. But Crosstrek production has now moved from Japan to Indiana, so there’s at least a theoretical chance Subaru might get some credits for a U.S.-built Crosstrek PHEV. Stay tuned.MAZDA: The company sells the MX-30 EV strictly in California. The small EV is built in Japan and would not qualify for any federal incentives. The new CX-90 SUV offers a PHEV option, but it’s built in Japan. Like Subaru, it would be likely to get any future battery-electric technology via its Toyota connection. Shop AroundContributing EditorJohn Voelcker edited Green Car Reports for nine years, publishing more than 12,000 articles on hybrids, electric cars, and other low- and zero-emission vehicles and the energy ecosystem around them. He now covers advanced auto technologies and energy policy as a reporter and analyst. His work has appeared in print, online, and radio outlets that include Wired, Popular Science, Tech Review, IEEE Spectrum, and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”He splits his time between the Catskill Mountains and New York City, and still has hopes of one day becoming an international man of mystery. More

A new world record has been achieved for the title of most expensive license plate at 55 million dirhams ($15 million).The license was sold in a government-run charity auction in Dubai.Proceeds from the auction will go to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s global food aid initiative, the 1 Billion Meals Endowment.As the great poet (don’t fight us on this) Kendrick Lamar rapped in his 2017 song Humble, “It’s levels to it, you and I know.” He may not have been referencing levels of wealth, but we are. The level of wealth maintained by unnamed oil tycoons is more than most of us can even fathom. What can oil-tycoon money buy you? We hear you ask. How about a world-record-breaking $15 million license plate?Articles to Quench Your Expensive TasteAccording to a report by Bloomberg, at 55 million dirhams, the equivalent of $15 million, that’s exactly what one unnamed wealthy bidder in Dubai recently paid for the license plate P 7. The plate was sold on Saturday in an auction put on by the Emirates Auction. Proceeds will go to Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s global food aid initiative, the 1 Billion Meals Endowment. According to the same Bloomberg article, Saturday’s bid takes down a record set in 2008 by Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri, who paid the equivalent of $14.2 million for a plate bearing the number 1 in Abu Dhabi. The identity of the most recent winner will not be disclosed, and the plate can reportedly be transferred to any car registered in the emirate. If you happen to be in Dubai any time soon, make sure to keep an eye out for license plate P 7, or any other unusually short plate names. Chances are it went for big money at auction. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe hinted at the future expansion of the EV lineup into R2 and R3 vehicles.He suggested that future Rivians will be smaller and cheaper, but he claims they’ll stay true to what he called Rivian’s “adventure” essence.The new info came from an interview on the WVFRM YouTube podcast hosted by Marques Brownlee.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Rivian CEO, RJ Scaringe, talks R1S and the Future of RivianWatch onYouTube IconYouTube IconSeeing any Rivian out in the wild is still a rare thing in most communities, but despite not yet achieving mass proliferation of its R1T and R1S EVs, the company is already looking ahead to future products. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe recently sat down with YouTube personality Marques Brownlee on his WVFRM podcast to talk about Rivian’s current lineup and potential future products. The conversation started with Brownlee asking Scaringe for some background on the EV startup. Scaringe revealed that when Rivian was first created (13 years ago), it was largely focused on creating a sports car. Sound familiar to any Tesla fans? Setting a Course for Adventure Eventually, of course, the company switched its perspective and began targeting a different kind of sporting EV buyer with the R1T pickup and R1S SUV. According to Scaringe, the core idea was to build a brand that enables and inspires adventure. “We identified the flagship products to do that, with R1S and R1T intended to be truly a flagship,” said Scaringe. “Following those, we have a smaller set of products creatively we call R2, R3, but they move in different form factors and obviously different sizes.” If the R1S and R1T are the flagship models for the brand, it follows that any vehicles in the R2 lineup can be expected to be priced lower. Scaringe confirmed that, explaining how different development of a vehicle with a target price is than development of flagship models. “For the R2 product lineup, we have less dollars to spend, and so things that we didn’t have to debate as much on a flagship product we really are debating heavily,” Scaringe said. RivianScaringe noted that the company is deep in debate about which aspects of the R2 are vital and core to the identity of the brand, and which aspects are more frivolous. How capable does it have to be off-road while maintaining on-road driving dynamics? What about Easter-egg items like the Bluetooth speaker and the flashlight in the door? They’re the sort of questions that century old manufacturers have nailed down, while younger companies like Rivian are still finding a brand identity. “The goal with these is to continue to take the essence of what we’ve done here, but in different packages and smaller form factors,” Scaringe said.Smaller-Picture ItemsScaringe also focused in on some nearer-term information that Rivian watchers want to hear about: for instance, software and the lack of Apple CarPlay support in the R1S and R1T. On this topic, Scaringer compared in-house control of the software to fine cuisine:”A lot of the things we do, whether it’s music or mapping, we have to make sure we integrate with the best-in-class platforms, but controlling the systems just allows us to be the arbiter . . . or the head chef of the experience you get.” Sounds as though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support won’t be coming to the Rivian lineup any time soon. RivianBut Scaringe did reveal two new options on the way: one being a small storage container in place of the Bluetooth speaker that lives beneath the front seats. It will use the same latch as the speaker to keep it from the danger of becoming a projectile in a moving vehicle. He also said an updated version of the camp kitchen is in development for the gear tunnel. The discontinued version of the camp kitchen took up practically the entire gear tunnel, but Scaringe promises the updated version will be a more reasonable size.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

This 1991 BMW 325i convertible includes the rare Sport Appearance package.It’s currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer with no reserve.Bidding ends early on Friday, April 14.If you were a yuppie attempting to survive in the decade of M.C. Hammer time, then you likely yearned for an E30 BMW 3-series convertible like this 1991 example currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. Related StoriesIt’s a 325i, which means its original owner shelled out the extra coin to skip over the entry-level 318i’s wheezy four-cylinder in order to enjoy the smooth operation of BMW’s legendary inline-six engine. It’s also equipped with the Special Appearance package, which combined the racy M3-inspired looks of the M-Technic package but kept the tamer suspension and smaller wheel and tire package of the standard 325i convertible. In other words, Special Appearance package-equipped 325i convertibles were for those who favored form over function. It’s why we actually dig the fact this example is not one of the rarer five-speed models. Sure, BMW’s four-speed automatic neuters the 168-hp 2.5-liter six-cylinder’s straight-line acceleration, but it also completely jives with this car’s ethos of strictly looking sportier than the average 325i ’vert.Bring a TrailerYes, the run-of-the-mill 325i convertible was also available with a five-speed manual, but if you’re a yuppie trying to make it in the ’90s, then you need your right hand free to hold your built-in car phone. Manually swapping cogs just isn’t in the cards.These 325i convertibles with the Special Appearance package are a rare breed. BMW reportedly produced fewer than 1000 examples of its compact convertible with this option. All wore either white or black paint.Bring a TrailerAlthough this E30 droptop’s relative rarity adds value, it’s still no E30 M3. Whereas solid examples of E30 M3s typically sell for north of $50,000, the last 325i convertible with the Special Appearance package to cross Bring a Trailer’s virtual auction block sold for $23,100 in October of last year. That prior car also showed nearly 30,000 fewer miles on its odometer and didn’t appear to suffer from any notable rust, unlike this 325i, which reportedly has rust in its left door jamb. A number of repainted areas, a top that’s slow to close, and wear on the seats are other issues that affect this 3-series.Bring a TrailerStill, this car still seems to be in good shape for its age, even if it’s not exactly in concours condition. Plus, the seller includes plenty of service documentation, indicating this 3-series was mechanically well-cared for. E30 325i convertibles with the Special Appearance package may not be the most sought-after variants of that 3-series. However, if you’re looking to cosplay as a yuppie in a low-mileage, ready-to-drive late-1980s or early-1990s BMW 3-series, then this rare example is likely an affordable and interesting way to do so.Senior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More