Dodge to resurrect ‘Fratzog’ brand for brand new electrical autos

DETROIT – Dodge will use a throwback brand referred to as the “Fratzog” for its upcoming electrified autos, CEO Tim Kuniskis advised CNBC.

The Fratzog – a made up phrase by a designer – was initially utilized by Dodge from 1962 by way of 1976. It contains a break up deltoid fabricated from three arrowhead shapes that kind a three-pointed star. The brand new model is designed to be three-dimensional and embrace LED lightning.

“It rattling close to appears to be like like one thing that Doc Brown would have achieved,” Kuniskis mentioned, referring to the fictional inventor from “Again to the Future” throughout a latest drag racing occasion in suburban Detroit. “It appears to be like very futuristic and electrified, and it is our historical past, which is what we do.”

The resurrected brand was first proven final month on a Dodge idea car that was previewed by its Stellantis father or mother firm throughout an “EV Day” for traders. Dodge additionally used the emblem alongside its present red-striped one on the “Roadkill Night time powered by Dodge” drag racing occasion, which yearly attracts tens of hundreds of individuals in Pontiac, Michigan.

Stellantis – the merged automaker between Fiat Chrysler and French automaker PSA Groupe – plans to take a position no less than $35.5 billion (30 billion euros) in electrical autos and supporting applied sciences by way of 2025.

Kuniskis mentioned the Fratzog isn’t meant to be a subbrand of Dodge. It will likely be used on electrical autos as a option to separate them from others fashions, in response to Kuniskis. He declined to specify if the brand new brand will probably be used solely on all-electric autos or additionally embrace hybrid and plug-in hybrid fashions.

Dodge, which has positioned itself as a muscle automobile model, is predicted to higher element its electrification plans within the fourth quarter forward of launching a plug-in hybrid mannequin in 2022 and an all-electric muscle automobile in 2024. The idea with the Fratzog brand is predicted to be unveiled early subsequent yr, Kuniskis mentioned.

The brand is a option to simply establish the autos with out altering their design traits, probably that means that the model can have new autos that supply gasoline, electrical or hybrid techniques to energy the autos. It is much like Dodge’s present technique of providing completely different ranges of efficiency – principally V-6 and V-Eight engines – in its lineup of autos, together with its well-known Hellcat brand for a line of present 700-plus horsepower fashions.

“We do not need them to look radically completely different as a result of we would like you all to be a part of the identical factor,” Kuniskis mentioned referring to Dodge’s so-called “Brotherhood of Muscle” possession group. “So, we mentioned, ‘OK,’ if in case you have electrification in your automobile, we do not need you to be screaming, ‘I’ve electrification.”

A designer at Dodge’s then-parent firm Chrysler Corp. made up the phrase Fratzog for the emblem, in response to a spokesman.