Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

According to news in the morning of March 7, Beijing time, it is reported that US automakers will rely on technology to maintain the competitiveness of their electric muscle cars. At present, the automobile industry is undergoing a great change. The car's power system is changing from an internal combustion engine system to an electric system.

Muscle cars dominated by Ford's Mustang, Stellantis's Charger and GM's Chevrolet's Camaro have long played an important role in American culture. These models frequently appear in major TV programs, and as a brand halo, they also drive the sales of other models of the same brand.

However, industry executives and analysts say that is changing with the advent of cars powered by electric systems and equipped with computer chips.

Doug DeMuro, operator of the car auction website, said: "gasoline-powered muscle cars powered by V8 engines can be coming to an end." He added that the difference between electric muscle cars and ordinary family cars will be attributed to "muscle cars with strange equipment and extra costs that other cars do not have."

Muscle cars refer to American two-door performance cars, which are powered by a V8 engine with nearly 400 horsepower to the rear wheels, and the zero acceleration time of these vehicles can be less than 5 seconds.

Since the 1960s, American automakers wanted to take advantage of the novelty of vehicles and the demand brought about by brand loyalty to use high-capacity engines to surpass their competitors at that time and generate the greatest motivation. this way of attracting customers continued until the mid-2000s.

However, due to rising fuel prices, consumer demand for such models began to weaken in the 1970s and was hit hard by record gasoline prices during the Gulf War, giving smaller, more fuel-efficient Japanese competitors an advantage, such as Honda's Civic and Toyota's Corolla.

Over the years, sales of muscle cars have continued to deteriorate as consumers become more and more favored by trucks and SUV, and now the electric car era emphasizes higher efficiency and lower emissions, further increasing the risks faced by muscle cars because electric technology provides huge acceleration time.

"almost all electric cars operate the same, they are very stiff and they are heavy because of the heavy batteries, which is an inescapable fact," said Ben Collins, a racing driver.

As most car companies phase out their gasoline-powered cars and switch to electric power systems, carmakers that previously distinguished their muscle cars by large engines will now have to rely on software updates and other strange elements to define their muscle cars.

Both General Motors and Dodge have issued timetables to stop selling gasoline-powered muscle cars and replace them with electric models of the same brand. Dodge horses and Challenger muscle cars will no longer be produced next year, while Chevrolet has plans for an electric Corvette.

This shift to software and technology for electric power systems will enable electric muscle cars to resist competition from other high-performance electric vehicles made by Tesla, Lucid and Rivian Automotive.

Brands including Polar Star and Mercedes-Benz have announced optional power upgrades to their cars to increase acceleration and total horsepower through paid OTA software updates.

Dodge has also said it will transition its muscle cars to electric platforms and is working to differentiate them. Tim Kuniskis, the head of the brand, said in an interview that Dodge would sell physical RF keys to drivers who want to upgrade their cars, a move to distinguish them from companies that make everyday cars and introduce OTA updates to improve functionality and give cars more power.

Kooniskis added: "We do not intend to sell OTA to customers, such as unlocking seat heating features through a paid OTA. We will sell customers upgrades that are directly related to functions such as performance and suspension, which will make a real difference to the vehicle." Dodge launched a concept car called the Charger Daytona EV last August, which mimics the feeling of driving a gasoline-powered car that attracts fans, including exhaust noise and gear shift, which is not available in most electric cars.

GM also said it was using software to keep its performance cars interactive.

Ford has already launched a pure electric SUV, which is part of the company's iconic Mustang brand. Ford says its Power-Up OTA has created a "scalable ownership experience" over time.

In essence, the speed and performance of electric vehicles are a function of battery size and motor power rating, while factors such as aerodynamics and weight also play a role.

Auto industry executives say that in the short term, consumers do not have to worry about the lack of gasoline-powered engines in the future. "in many ways, electric cars are seen as a nightmare for car enthusiasts, as if they were about to take away the internal combustion engine," said Nick Roman, an auto commentator. "in fact, electric cars are just the latest evolution in the car industry. it's a change. Change can not only make people uncomfortable, it can also challenge you."

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