Dodge Introduces All-Electric Muscle
It may surprise you to be reading about the Dodge brand here on GreenCars, as it has traditionally been associated with rumbling, gas-guzzling V-8 muscle cars like the Challenger, Charger, and Magnum. But Dodge has just revealed a tantalizing glimpse of the brand’s electrified future, the fully-electric Charger Daytona SRT. The promise? It looks like a Dodge, drives like a Dodge, and most importantly, sounds like a Dodge.
Sounds Like A Muscle Car
Aren’t electric cars supposed to be silent? Dodge doesn’t think so. In fact, it makes, uh, a lot of noise about the Charger Daytona SRT’s “fatzonic chambered exhaust” – which uses an amplifier and a tuning chamber at the rear of the vehicle to create a bone-shaking 126-decibel roar that equals the 700-plus horsepower SRT Hellcat. The synthetic sound profile, which Dodge calls “dark matter,” exits from the rear of the car through big exhaust pipes – but comes with zero emissions.
Dodge has even engineered in gearshift sounds, thanks to an “eRupt” multi-speed transmission with electro-mechanical shifting. The new transmission delivers distinctive shift points, throwing shoulders into seatbacks in true Dodge style. In doing so, it sacrifices a little bit of efficiency, but adds a lot of emotion to the electric driving experience. Alongside the transmission sits a PowerShot push-to-pass feature. Activated by a button on the steering wheel, PowerShot delivers an adrenaline jolt of increased horsepower for a quick burst of acceleration.
It Charges Fast, Too
The Charger Daytona SRT isn’t just a fast-accelerating EV. It also recharges quickly, thanks to an 800-volt “Banshee” electronic architecture – similar to applications in high-performance vehicles like the Porsche Taycan. An 800-volt architecture means thinner wires and much faster charging times.
Indeed, everything about the Charger Daytona SRT is optimized for performance. It features all-wheel drive, making for amazing traction off the line –meaning that it accelerates faster than the Challenger Hellcat – as well as for improved all-weather capability.
A simple one-button press on the steering wheel lets the driver pick from Auto, Sport, Track and Drag modes, instantly changing the driving dynamics, instrument cluster information, heads-up display content, performance sound and interior lighting features of the vehicle.
Combining the Best of Old and New
The Charger Daytona SRT combines elements of BEVs while also nodding to Dodge’s muscle car past. Up front, an “R-Wing” is a homage to the original Charger Daytona design; it allows air to flow through the front opening, enhancing downforce, while still giving the appearance of a front grille. The car is long, wide, and confident, without excess decoration — the headlights almost disappear, hidden underneath the R-Wing and integrated seamlessly into the aerodynamic surface. Flush door handles continue the minimalist design, while brushed aluminum “screaming” Banshee fender badges announce the new propulsion system that drives the concept.
Inside, the Charger Daytona SRT is modern, lightweight and athletic, providing a driver-centric cockpit with all essentials cohesively packaged. It has a 12.3-inch center screen, and a 16-inch curved instrument cluster and an 8-by-3-inch heads-up display.
Not Yet for Prime Time
While the Charger Daytona SRT is just a concept car for now, it is a powerful statement of intent from America’s muscle car brand. In the race to be faster, quicker and more powerful, Dodge is turning the page to a new chapter. Its first-ever electric car isn’t called the Charger Daytona SRT by coincidence — like the famed Charger Daytona model that was the first vehicle to break 200 mph on a NASCAR track in 1970, the Charger Daytona SRT truly packs a performance punch. We can’t wait to see it on the move!
