The Dodge Durango Hellcat has proven to be a surprise hit with buyers. While the fire-breathing SUV’s popularity has caused Dodge to move its retirement date up several times, the Durango seemingly scored a win when President Trump rolled back the strict fuel-economy regulations that were put in place during the Biden Administration.
But while the pressure from the federal government is less than before, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) can still set its own rules and for residents in seventeen states, the Durango Hellcat will not be seen on sale in these areas.
Fuel economy regulations pump the brakes on Durango Hellcat sales
CARB’s power to set its own fuel economy rules makes it unique and its presence has been a defining aspect of the automotive market in the United States. In addition to the founding stat eof California, several other states also follow the rules and as a result, the Dodge Durango Hellcat won’t be sold in those areas (We have provided a list below.)
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington DC
Crafty buyers who think they can skirt the rules by getting the R/T version will be in for disappointment since that model is also unavailable in CARB states. The only V8 model exempt from this figurative blackout is the base GT which gets a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8.
What’s Dodge doing about it?
For its part, Dodge is attempting to find a way to bring these two models to CARB states stating “As we prepare to begin production of the Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak later in Q4 and open for orders of the Durango R/T 392 by the end of the year, we continue to work with CARB on opportunities to sell these two powertrains in all states alongside the 5.7-liter Durango GT,” the spokesperson said.
If Dodge can pull it off and bring the CARB states on board, it would be a big step forward for the brand’s renewed commitment to V8 engines after it revived SRT as a functioning concern. The iconic engines were briefly slated for retirement with former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares embarking on a program to move away from them and instead focus on electrification and smaller powerplants.
That plan was universally reviled and not only caused immense amounts of discontent from customers, employees, and dealerships, but also cratered sales for its American brands which played a role in Tavares getting his walking papers late last year. As Stellantis continues to put V8s back in their models, it has altered other vehicle plans with the all-electric Ram REV being axed in favor of an all-in gambit on the range-extended version which ditched the phoned in Ramcharger name to assume the REV Ram moniker.
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