Third-party tuning companies will be cut off of Dodge electric car modification, Carscoops reports quoting the CEO of the company. Multiple reasons are cited in the interview, but ‘passenger safety’ is highlighted as the most important one.
The company plans to introduce steering unit and electric motor protection that will prevent them from unauthorized access. Only authorized dealerships will be able to access and modify these parts.
Another reason, the automaker openly admits, is that electric cars require much less servicing than ICE cars. This introduces the risk of dealerships losing income. If Dodge entrusts the dealerships with an exclusive right to install tuning packages, both parties will benefit financially.
As for the third-party tuning firms, they will be left with the suspension, exterior and cabin to work with.
A couple of days ago, Dodge arrived at the SEMA show with its Charger Daytona muscle car (see video) and promised to ship it in nine different performance versions.