Is the Dodge Demon 170 Eco-Friendly? Dodge Thinks So
The Dodge Demon 170 took the 2018 Demon’s formula and added more: more power, more speed, and more hilarious over-the-top bragging rights. However, even with all of the firsts and broken records, one of the silliest things CEO Tim Kuniskis said about the Demon 170 is that it is environmentally friendly. So, why would Kuniskis say such a thing about a 1,025-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170?
Is the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 eco-friendly?
After nearly 10 years of swivel-eyed, supercharged SRT Challengers, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis introduced the last gas-powered Dodge Challenger, the SRT Demon 170. However, during his drag strip introduction of the silver-and-black brute, Kunikis jested that the Demon 170 is “the first environmentally-friendly and sustainable energy-powered muscle car.”
Kuniskis supported the outlandish claim with a statistic, though. He told the stunned crowd that alcohol-powered vehicles have a 20% lower carbon footprint than gasoline-powered cars. Of course, after an inattentive drag strip attendant made yet another pass with a prep vehicle, Kuniskis joked that “the Demon 170 isn’t going to save the polar bears.”
What fuel does the Demon 170 use?
The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 runs on a 170-proof ethanol cocktail. As a result, the Demon 170 is the world’s first alcohol-powered production muscle car. It makes sense, then, that the lineup wore the “Last Call” moniker; the final Dodge Challenger pulls off its wild wheelstands on alcohol.
Thanks to the potent, high-octane fuel, the Dodge Demon 170 produces 1,025 horsepower and 945 lb-ft of torque. The swan song Last Call model outmuscles the 2018 SRT Demon by a whopping 185 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque.
Can the Demon 170 run on pump gas?
Despite the 170 moniker and the Last Call labels, the Dodge Demon 170 runs on pump gas or an E85 blend. According to Car and Driver, the Demon 170 produces 900 horsepower and 810 lb-ft of torque on 91-octane pump gasoline.
Figures like that are enough to make the new Demon the most powerful production muscle car ever– without the ethanol.
Is the new Demon 170 more efficient than the 2018 Dodge Demon?
All joking about fuel efficiency aside, the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is one of the farthest things from economical in recent years. Specifically, the EPA estimates put the Demon 170 at 13 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. Surprisingly, it beats the original by 3.0 to 4.0 mpg.
Of course, neither Demon is a hybrid; the car’s entire purpose is drag strip domination. Still, Demon owners can revel in the fact that their bragging rights muscle cars will go a bit further than a $3.8-million 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, which has a single-digit combined fuel score of 9.0 mpg.
