***This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars.***
We were getting ready to record our "Cybertrash" episode with Ed Niedermeyer last month when Ed happened to bring to our attention to this "deeply weird" ten minute-long extended car ad. It's a promotional video for Dodge's new, "Next-Gen Charger," the electric-powered version of the very same "muscle cars" that Doug confronted at the New York International Auto Show in Episode 85 and Aaron rode along with back in Episodes 92 and 96.
The move from gas-guzzling, window-rattling, V8 engines to electric motors has clearly plunged Dodge into an identity crisis. They spent decades building their brand on obnoxiously loud and dangerously sociopathic gas guzzlers. How will they ever convince their loutish loyal customers to switch over to (supposedly) clean, quiet, big government-mandated electric cars?
In this video we get an answer to that question. Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis is going to try to sell his muscle e-cars with rightwing dog whistles and a Make Dodge Great Again pitch. But he barely even sounds like he has convinced himself. A lot like Elon Musk's Cybertruck marketing, the Dodge promo video is simultaneously super weird and extremely revealing about what American car culture is really all about.
We had some extra time with Ed in the studio so we had to talk about it with him. And we put that together for as a Patreon bonus. If you aren't yet a Patreon subscriber of The War on Cars, maybe now is the time! Subscribe for $3, $5, or $10 per month. We’ll send you stickers and you’ll have access to ad-free episodes and bonus conversations like this one. We really appreciate the support. We couldn’t produce the podcast without you.
God Help Us, It’s Really Infrastructure Week
The One Where They Go Back to the Studio
TEASER: Building LEGO Cities with Sean Kenney
Where are the Bike Lanes In Lego City?
TEASER: Meet Mr. Barricade
The Driver
TEASER: The Miracle Pill with Peter Walker
The Emperor's New Tunnel
It's Finally Infrastructure Week
TEASER: Lessons from Copenhagen with Mikael Colville-Andersen
Jamelle Bouie Has Seen the Future of Transportation
The Power of E-Bikes with Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Housing for People, Not Cars
Episode LVIII
Test Driving the 2021 Cadillac Escalade with Andrew Hawkins
Humane Streets with Anil Dash
Mayor Pete at the Drive-Thru
The French Connection
Cars and the Law with Greg Shill
Honk If You Loved 2020
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL