August 18, 2022: -The new electrified vehicle for the Dodge label under Stellantis will be a plug-in hybrid crossover named the Hornet, a restored name used for a 1970s station wagon.

The compact crossover will be Dodge’s latest entry-level vehicle, with a starting price of less than $30,000 for a Hornet GT model with a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine. The plug-in mixture model, which Dodge reaches the Hornet R/T, will begin at about $40,000.

While the Hornet isn’t one of Dodge’s signature muscle cars, it’s an essential car for the brand’s sales and electrification strategy. It marks a rescue to the lower-priced mainstream market following the discontinuation of the Dart sedan and Journey crossover in 2016 and 2020, respectively.

“We think the potential is huge with the growth of this segment,” Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis said during a media briefing. He declined to discuss sales expectations for the vehicle, unveiled Tuesday night at an event in Pontiac, Michigan.

The compact crossover segment is one of the most significant segments in the industry, but Kuniskis said Dodge would position the Hornet differently than competitors.

Dodge says the Hornet will have the top version in the segment and offer unique aspects, including a “Power Shot” mode for the plug-in hybrid that provides 25 more horsepower to the vehicle.

The Hornet R/T PHEV will have more than 285 horsepower and 383 foot-pounds of torque, according to Dodge. Dodge says the GT model will have nearly 265 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. It can travel more than 30 miles before a 1.3-liter turbocharged internal explosion engine depends on powering the vehicle.

The Hornet GT is anticipated to arrive in U.S. showrooms late this year, followed by the plug-in model coming spring. The vehicles will be produced at a factory in Italy alongside the Alfa Romeo Tonale, with a shared platform and components but additional configuration characteristics.

The Hornet reveals a day after the company demonstrated it would discontinue the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars at the back of the coming year. They are anticipated to be replaced by at least one new electric performance car beginning in 2024.

Stellantis was formed by Fiat Chrysler and France-based Groupe PSA merger automaker. It has 14 auto brands, which retain Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, and Peugeot. The firm is investing $35.5 billion in vehicle electrification and will help the technologies through 2025.

The Hornet name was first utilized for a car produced in the 1950s by Hudson Motor, made famous in current years by Disney’s “Cars” franchise. American Motors then used it in the 1970s, followed by Chrysler, now known as Stellantis, for a concept car that never made it into production in 2006.