Chevrolet's Camaro has struggled since its most recent redesign, with the 2020 sales tally coming in at less than half that of the rival Ford Mustang.
As a result, Chevy has limited updates to the car, and there are rumors the nameplate may be retired after the current generation reaches the end of its product cycle around 2024...though it may end up sticking around until 2026 should there be enough buyers.
But what will fill the void? Automotive News (subscription required) reported on Monday that an electric performance sedan will directly replace the Camaro.
General Motors has set itself a goal of having all of its light vehicles powered by electricity by 2035, so it makes sense the automaker will want to replace the Camaro with an EV. A sedan body style would likely also sell better than the Camaro's two-door body.
Another solution could be turning the Camaro into an EV, a possibility GM hinted at back in March when it unveiled its Ultium EV platform and battery technologies. Chevy has also built an electric drag racer based on the current Camaro as a tech demonstrator.
As automakers face ever-tightening rules on emissions, muscle car fans will have to get used to batteries and electric motors instead of high-octane fuel and V-8s. Ford has already launched the Mustang Mach-E, and Dodge in July teased an electric muscle car due in 2024. Ford has at least one more generation of its gas-powered Mustang planned, while the future of Dodge's Charger and Challenger remains uncertain. We'll likely see one more generation of gas-powered Chargers and Challengers, though a turbocharged V-6 may replace the current supercharged V-8 as the range-topping option.
Fortunately electric powertrains are well suited to muscle cars, and Chevy has an excellent base with the new Ultium tech. The platform delivers up to 1,000 hp and manages to hustle the 9,000-pound GMC Hummer EV from 0-60 mph in just 3.0 seconds. Imagine what it could do with a lighter vehicle.
