Dodge’s Charger Daytona Is an Electric Muscle Car With Fake Engine Noises
A beastly EV focused on performance, but not range.
If the low hum of a high-performance EV on a race track just doesn’t feel right, Dodge is right there with you. That’s why the American automaker is releasing its first-ever EV, an electrified Charger, that comes with fake engine noises.
It’s about time Dodge jumped into the growing market and thankfully, the electric Charger Daytona stays true to the style of modern American muscle cars. We can’t be the only ones who were a little disappointed to see Ford go with an SUV design to electrify its Mustang. Even though it’s late to the party, the Charger Daytona and all of its 670 horsepower comes as a much-needed addition.
The Charger Daytona in the ridiculously-named Bludicrous exterior colorway.
Made For Track Days
Dodge is building this on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, which the parent company will be deploying on Dodge and Jeep EVs first. Since it’s one of the more powerful EV platforms, that helps the Charger Daytona Scat Pack trim get up to 670 horsepower, 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, and a quarter-mile sprint in around 11.5 seconds.
The less-powerful Charger Daytona R/T trim will still pack 496 horsepower but also get a range of 317 miles, as compared to the Scat Pack’s 260-mile range. Both models will run on an all-wheel drive system and will be able to fast charge their 100.5 kWh battery packs from 20 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.
Dodge’s first EV follows the design language of American muscle that it’s developed over the years.
Prioritizing Performance
Dodge designed the Charger Daytona with “ultimate performance” in mind, instead of being able to “get you 500 miles of range,” as noted by Dodge’s CEO Tim Kuniskis during a press briefing. With that thinking, we can see why Dodge included a PowerShot feature that gives you an extra 40 horsepower for 15 seconds when activated. Looking at all the Race Mode features, you can see that Dodge wants you to frequent the track with this EV since it has Launch Control, Drift Mode, Race Prep, and more.
All of that performance is topped off with a “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system.” That’s a whole lot of jargon for Dodge’s fake engine noise system that gets more intense depending on how you’re driving. It’s not just a superficial inclusion, since Dodge argues that this sound system provides the driver with necessary feedback. There’s still a Stealth Mode, though, which could feel a lot like the Mute switch on your iPhone.
Inside, you can go up to a 16-inch instrument cluster with the Scat Pack model, but both trims will have a 12.3-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard that’s compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto. The Daytona Charger even comes with a button on the steering wheel that lets you switch between six drive modes, including Track and Drag modes.
The Charger Daytona has all the features to get the most out of your track days.
Entering Production Later This Year
Dodge says the two-door coupe versions of both all-electric Charger Daytona models will start production in mid-2024, but the four-door sedan models will hit the factory line in the first quarter of 2025. According to Dodge, all versions will be built in its assembly plant in Ontario, Canada, and they’ll be available in eight exterior color options.
You’ll have a ton of options when it comes to additional packages — like the Track Package, Sun & Sound Package, Carbon & Suede Package, and more — but Dodge hasn’t revealed the prices of its upcoming EV or these packages. If you’re still not sold on EVs, Dodge has plans to make ICE versions of its Charger Daytona. Though, don’t forget that Dodge’s parent company has set some ambitious electrification goals, including having all of its passenger car sales in Europe and half of its passenger cars and light-duty trucks in the U.S. be BEVs by 2030.
