Dodge has at last revealed its first electric muscle car, the Charger, marking the beginning of a new era for the American brand. For the petrolheads among you, you’re in luck, as there will also be two straight-six versions on offer.
To kick things off, we begin with the most powerful model of the lot, the all-electric Daytona Scat Pack which sends 500kW to all four wheels. When translated to the road, a 0 to 97km/h sprint is achievable in 3.3 seconds but on track the Scat can run a quarter mile in approximately 11.5 seconds.
A less powerful Daytona R/T is also on offer, making 370kW and able to reach 97km/h from a standstill in about 4.7 seconds.
All electric Charger variants are based on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, meaning they’ll each get a 100kWh battery pack. As to range, the Scat Pack boasts a figure of 418km, while the R/T can do 510km. Recharging from 20 to 80 per cent takes just under half an hour.
Remember the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust that debuted on the Daytona SRT concept in 2022? Well, that feature made it into production and promises to bring Hellcat levels of sound intensity.
Dodge also managed to stuff its new ‘Hurricane’ 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet, turning the new Charger into what it calls its “first multi-energy muscle car”. The blown six produces 410kW in the SixPack H.O. variant and 313kW in the SixPack S.O.
The new Charger’s design takes after its predecessors in case you couldn’t tell, and will be offered with both two or four doors. There’s a front air pass-through exclusive to Charger Daytona models up front, alongside a full-width LED light bar, complementing that “ring of fire” taillight at the rear.
Customers will be able to choose from a range of wheel designs in a variety of sizes ranging from 18 to 20 inches in diameter, as well as eight exterior finishes.
The interior linework and texture are said to take inspiration from the 1968 Charger’s instrument panel, while there’s a 10.25-inch or available 16-inch gauge cluster on offer, sitting next to a central 12.3-inch infotainment display.
There are plenty of ways to have fun behind the wheel too, with driving modes like ‘Donut’, ‘Drift’, ‘Line Lock’, ‘Launch Control’, and more available.
Production of the two-door electric Dodger Charger will commence in mid-2024, while the four-door models are expected to roll off the line in the first quarter of 2025, alongside the petrol-powered alternative. There’s no indication whether the model will be remanufactured for right-hand drive markets.
