For years, California has been one of the world’s largest car markets. It routinely tops the charts in America, beating places like Texas and Florida with ease. It’s also famously one of the strictest places in the world for emissions laws, with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) setting higher standards than what’s found at the federal level. So Cali is both incredibly important for carmakers and also more difficult than the rest of the country to keep up with, regulations-wise.
CARB recently launched its Advanced Clean Cars II initiative, a set of regulations meant to further scale down emissions from light-duty vehicles (cars, SUVs, trucks, and virtually anything else you can buy from a dealership) through stricter tailpipe testing. The rules, which come into effect in 2026, mean even more challenging guidelines for automakers. Five additional states will adopt Advanced Clean Cars II starting next year, with six others set to adopt the rules in 2027.
Not every car currently for sale in these CARB states can meet the new regulations. Most carmakers are making updates to their vehicles to stay on showroom floors. But Dodge seems to be lagging behind. The company is stopping the sale of its two coolest 2026 Durangos—the R/T 392 and the SRT Hellcat—in regions that follow CARB standards: California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.
The company confirmed its plans to restrict sales in a statement to Mopar Insiders:
“The HEMI-powered Durango R/T 392 and the Durango SRT HELLCAT are available in non-CARB states. We’re continuing to evaluate the opportunity to provide the full V8-powered Durango lineup to all customers.”
With that, Dodge confirmed what enthusiasts had feared: buyers in CARB states won’t be able to order either the 392 or the HELLCAT.
It’s unclear right now whether Dodge will bring either model into compliance with CARB mandates, or why it’s limited sales to all 13 regions involved with CARB, rather than the six set to implement the new emissions rules in 2026. It’d be pretty weird for the company to launch a slew of updates for the Durango just last month, only for the SUV not to be available in some of the biggest markets in the country. A Dodge spokesperson didn’t immediately respond when I asked for further clarification. For now, buyers in the CARB states I mentioned above will only have access to one Durango trim: the base GT model, with the 360-horsepower 5.7-liter V8. A far cry from the 710-hp Hellcat that enthusiasts want.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time an American carmaker has pulled this sort of state-by-state sales restriction. Ford is making the same move with the plug-in hybrid Escape. That car won’t be sold in the six states where the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations are set to come into effect next year.
One thing that worries me about this sort of move is the used market. Because these Durangos can’t pass emissions in every state, what happens when a buyer in California buys a used 2026 Hellcat Durango from, say, Texas, and tries to register it? Theoretically, that Hellcat couldn’t get registered to the new owner because it wouldn’t pass a CARB-level emissions test. That would force the new buyer to resort to shady out-of-state registration tactics (looking at you, Montana) or to simply get rid of the SUV.
It feels like a big, dark cloud of confusion with regard to conflicting rules and regulations is about to form over the country, to no one’s benefit.
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I thought CARB was dead?
Dodge knows their market. I wouldnt be surprised if the next “badge of protest” is a calvin peeing on california badge.
Or as a dealer installed accessory for $650
Alternate take: Stellantis could have spent effort to bring the car into compliance, but would rather not spend $ on it. So is happy to blame someone else, and eat the marketing rage.
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