Dodge delivers ‘muscle’ with all-new 670-hp Charger Daytona EV

Dodge has unveiled its new electric car. And it is to deliver on the promise of being the ultimate ‘muscle car’, the new Charger Daytona, a massive 5.2-meter long two-door coupé with all-wheel-drive, a 100.5-kWh battery, and up to 317 miles (510 km) of EPA range.

The range-topping Charger Daytona Scat Pack gets 670 hp and 850 Nm of torque from its two electric motors and does the quarter-mile in 11.5 secs (0-100 kph: 3.3 s). Dodge announces there will also be a four-door version and ICE versions with a 3.0-liter straight six.

EV of superlatives

The new Dodge Charger Daytona is the electric replacement of the now-aging Charger and Challenger range. Not only is it Dodge’s first EV, but it’s also the first product to launch on the new STLA-Large platform from the mothership Stellantis. However, Dodge hasn’t gone all eco. As CEO Tim Kuniskis puts it: “EVs are meant to be green and politically correct. The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is not.”

Therefore, the new electric Dodge is a massive 5.2-m long and 2.6-ton muscle car with a long hood and a classic three-box shape. Oh, and it’s not slow. Quite the opposite: the fastest version does the ¼ mile in 11.5 seconds, a smidge slower than the Challenger Hellcat, and reaches 60 mph in only 3.3 seconds.

456 or 670 hp

The new Dodge Charger Daytona comes in two guises, with all-wheel-drive as standard. With ‘ Power Shot ‘, the entry-level R/T is powered by two electric motors producing 340 kW (456 hp) or 370 kW (496 hp). The top ranger is the Scat Pack, powered by two 250 kW electric motors producing 670 hp in Drag Mode.

Each motor unit includes the inverter, gearbox, and motor in the same ensemble, which increases packaging efficiency – as if that was necessary on such a massive EV. The front motor can decouple for better efficiency, while the back motor features a limited-slip differential for better performance. The Charger Daytona also features ‘fake-V8‘ sounds and vibrations.

Massive EV, massive battery

Both versions use the same 100.5-kWh battery, which gives them an estimated EPA (US homologation) range of 317 miles (510 km) for the R/T and 260 miles (418 km) for the Scat Pack. However large that battery may be, the peak voltage is only 442 volts. Therefore, unlike other 800-volt fast-charging competitors, charging rates are reasonably slow at 183 kW DC. This will bring the battery from 20 to 80% in 28 minutes.

Spirit of Old

Over this new underpinning, Dodge puts a body that seems to call for the spirits of old Mopar muscle cars. The long, two-door body style with sharp lines recalls the lines of the famous 69 Charger, used by the Dukes of Hazzard. So does the rear LED light bar. At the front, we find another LED light bar inside a grill for aerodynamic purposes. Despite its squared shape, it lets air through and vents it above the hood.

Inside, Dodge says the dash “harks back to the ’68 Charger”. All we can see is a rectangular digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch touch screen, and the safety and comfort features of a modern electric car.

Talking about old Chargers, this new Dodge Charge Daytona won’t be exclusively powered by electric motors. The STLA-Large platform allows mouldability. Four-door and ICE versions will be powered by a 420 or 550-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six.