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Dodge Muscle Cars Live On With New Versions Of The Charger Powered By Electricity Or Gasoline
DETROIT — America’s muscle car culture will endure while the country shifts to electric vehicles, but the gas-powered performance automobile will be there for at least a few more years.
On Tuesday, Dodge debuted two battery-powered Charger muscle cars that still roar like a large V8 engine but emit no pollution from the tailpipe.
New iterations of the Charger that run on gasoline or electricity continue to be Dodge muscle cars.
However, the Stellantis brand, which has carved out a market niche for high-performance vehicles, will continue selling a gas-powered Charger without the large Hemi V8.
Both will be based on Stellantis’ worldwide large vehicle platform, and the Windsor, Ontario, factory that will produce them will be able to switch between gasoline and electric power depending on market demand. Stellantis’ flexibility will allow it to hedge its bets on whether electric vehicle sales take off or slow.
Last year, Stellantis discontinued production of the gas-powered Chargers and Challengers, and many believed it would be the end of the thundering sedans.
However, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis hinted that a gasoline version would continue to exist. “It was always there.” It was always in the plans. “It was always coming,” he explained.
Dodge Muscle Cars Live On With New Versions Of The Charger Powered By Electricity Or Gasoline
However, the business downplayed the gas version in favour of two- and four-door electric variants that resemble Chargers from the 1960s, with aerodynamic lines and hatchbacks rather than trunks.
The electric versions, branded Charger Daytona after the NASCAR raceway in Florida, will have two powertrains, one with up to 670 horsepower and the ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.3 seconds. The other is no slouch, with 496 horsepower and a zero to 60 time of 4.7 seconds.
Dodge boasts that its high-performance electric version is the world’s fastest and most powerful muscle car. Next year, an even higher-performing version will be released.
The 496-horsepower Daytona is predicted to have a range of 317 miles (510 kilometres) per charge, while the high-performance version can travel 260 miles (418 kilometres).
Both will include the company’s Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, which routes air through a chamber to replicate the roar of a V8.
Both are hefty because of their large batteries, with gross vehicle weights of more than three tons.
The new gas-powered Charger Sixpack will have a similar design to the electric variants and be powered by a new 3-litre six-cylinder engine with two turbochargers. Standard variants will generate 420 horsepower, while high-output engines will produce 550.
According to the firm, the new engine will produce more horsepower and torque than the previous 5.7- and 6.4-liter Hemi V8s. According to company executives, fuel efficiency tests on the Charger’s new engine still need to be finished.
Dodge Muscle Cars Live On With New Versions Of The Charger Powered By Electricity Or Gasoline
All variants have all-wheel drive, although they can be converted to rear-wheel drive, so owners may still experience burnout and drift. There will be alternatives to prepare the automobiles for the racecourse.
The two-door coupe Daytona models are anticipated to go into production this summer, while the electric four-door and gas-powered versions will begin early next year.
Kuniskis said he is still determining which kind will sell better, electric or gas. With federal tax breaks on electric vehicles, leasing payments are anticipated to be quite appealing, which could convince some consumers, he added.
Environmentalists will almost definitely attack the firm for releasing EVs that prioritize performance efficiency while maintaining the gas-powered muscle car. However, Kuniskis stated that in typical circumstances, approximately 17 million new vehicles are sold annually in the United States.
“It’s a 17 million unit industry,” he said. “And you know what? People require options,” he added, adding that the corporation could face criticism if it did not produce electrified versions.
SOURCE – (AP)
News
Britain Must Be Ready for War in 3 Years, Warns New Army Chief
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
News
London Heatwave Alert: High Temperatures Set to Soar to 29C Next Week
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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