Stellantis, parent company of Dodge and Ram, has been recently fined $190.6 million by the federal government for making cool cars. In fact, the automaker has paid out $773.5 million to the US government since 2018, all just to make you happy.
This guy really thought his Ram TRX could outrun any cop.
We’re talking, of course, about the multinational automaker not meeting fuel economy standards, so the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration keeps fining it. All those Hellcats, TRXs, Demons, Redeyes, and Scat Packs came at a steep price.
It’s all because in the past the US government believed issuing fines to automakers would make the polar caps grow and the seas to recede. Because the government has that kind of god-like power, especially when given more money.
But all of that is a fever dream now, thanks to the Trump administration directing NHTSA to eliminate fines for non-compliance with federal fuel economy standards.
You can thank policies like the old one for making it so V8 engines have become scarce, including in full-size trucks and SUVs. Don’t worry, your turbo-four will do just great pulling your camper as well as hauling your family and gear through steep canyon highways.
When Reuters, which broke this story, reached out to Stellantis for comment, the automaker would only confirm the size of the fines paid. It seems after it fell into compliance and canceled the Hemi V8 engine, incurring the wrath of just about everyone as sales plummeted, it’s ready to just forget the whole fiasco and move forward.
We want to move forward as well. We’re hopeful Toyota will see the light and put V8 engines in the Tundra, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, and other models.
In the meantime, Reuters is more concerned with Rivian throwing a hissy fit in court over NHTSA not processing its end-of-the-year reports or compliance notifications for 2022 so it can sell carbon credits for $100 million.
Rivian might actually have to start making money selling cars or some crazy thing like that.
Images via Stellantis
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