It’s pretty rare to see an automotive executive who’s active on social media. Sure, many have profiles, but few post to them with any meaningful frequency. Except, of course, Stellantis Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles. One look at his Instagram profile and you’d be forgiven for thinking part of his job involved chronicling his exploits on the platform. From posts about his adventures at track days to behind the scenes peeks at the process of an automotive designer, Ralph’s instagram is a treasure trove of cool and fascinating information from an enthusiast and industry professional.
Additionally, he sometimes lets some interesting information slip. Like today for example:
No, 4,300 pounds (1,950 kilograms) is not the number for the EV version of the new Dodge Charger. Thanks to the specifications PDF Dodge released for the new Charger, we know the all-electric muscle car weighs a staggering 5,838 pounds (or nearly three tons). Which, many will be keen to tell you, is heavier than a Cadillac Escalade. However, this is only a half truth. The new Dodge Charger EV is indeed heavier than the lightest Escalade, but it’s not heavier than the heaviest Escalade.
Anyway, dispelling automotive sensationalism aside, let’s get back to that PDF. You might’ve noticed I didn’t mention the Hurricane I-6 powered Dodge Charger in the PDF. Know why? Because Dodge themselves don’t mention that version of the new Charger in the spec sheet. Interesting, right? Not entirely sure why they’re still holding onto that information but it doesn’t matter. 4,300 Pounds is the number Ralph says in his reply and that seems about right. Remember, the new Charger is bigger than the old Challenger, and according to the PDF, still utilizes steel in much of its unibody chassis. Yes the new Charger does have an aluminum hood, but that’s obviously not enough to offset the slight growth in length. Let alone any other differences in construction that might’ve added extra poundage…
Moreover, that’s around the same weight as 6.4-liter and Hellcat V8 equipped Challenger and Charger models from the past generation. In other words, from a weight standpoint, this new ICE Dodge Charger shouldn’t feel vastly different from what modern L-car owners are already used to. Now in full transparency, V6 and 5.7-HEMI V8 equipped models are lighter than the new Charger (as well as the aforementioned big V8 models above). However, even with those engines some complained about the large car’s weight, so it really shouldn’t make a difference here.
Another moment of transparency: Ralph clearly doesn’t specify which ICE trim level nor which engine the 4,300 pound number was attributed to. We don’t know if this is in reference to the standard-output Hurricane I-6, or its high-output brother. Only time will tell there I suppose.