Dodge is giving us a glimpse at the all-electric future of the muscle car (and, along with it, some hints as to where fellow Stellantis group brands such as Alfa Romeo and Maserati might be headed) with this, the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept.
Hellcat-style power output
The Charger concept is very sixties in its styling, clearly referencing the original, sinister looking 1968 Charger. That car came with a growling, grumbling 7.2-litre V8 engine. This one is all-electric, but should have some faintly ridiculous power outputs. Dodge hasn't revealed the Charger concept's actual performance figures, but says that it is "faster than a Hellcat in all key performance measures." By Hellcat, Dodge means the outgoing supercharged V8 Charger Hellcat, which has as much as 707hp...
While the overall look is very sixties, the actual tech being deployed by the Charger concept is bang up to date. That blunt nose - pure '68 Charger - is actually a cleverly disguised front wing, channelling air up and over the cutaway bonnet. Around the back, this Charger has a gigantic hatchback, with a lift-up tailgate and folding rear seats, which Dodge says makes it the most practical muscle car ever.
Inside, the interior is quite conventional, featuring big screens for the instruments and infotainments, moody cabin lighting and a three-spoke steering wheel. There are some nice touches, though. The starter button is underneath a fighter-aircraft lift-up panel marked 'Launch' while the cabin also gets a little nod to the Charger's history as a drag racer, with a 'Christmas tree' red, yellow and green starting lights logo.
Potential 800km range
Underneath, Dodge says that the Charger concept is riding on an '800-volt Banshee propulsion system.' We suspect that this is the previously announced 'STLA Large' electric vehicle platform, which will be shared across all Stellantis brands. In theory, the STLA Large can accommodate up to a 120kWh battery pack, which gives a potential range of up to 800 kilometres. The 800-volt bit refers to the ultra-rapid charging system.
This Charger concept has a couple of electric wrinkles, though. For a start, it has gear changes. Dodge says that the gearbox - or the eRupt transmission to give it its true muscle car name - uses 'electro-mechanical shifting [which] delivers distinctive shift points' and that it can 'push shoulders into seatbacks in true Dodge style.' There's also an overboost system, which Dodge calls 'PowerShot push-to-pass' that unleashes the full fury of the electric motors (we're assuming two motors until Dodge tells us otherwise) for snap overtaking.
Synthetic exhaust
Then there's the exhaust. Well, an electric car doesn't need an exhaust, does it? Not really, but this is a muscle car, and Dodge reckoned that the Charger concept wouldn't be true to the breed if it didn't make some noise. So, it's been given a 'Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust' (the name comes from the 'Fratzog' triangular logo that adorned classic high-performance V8 Dodges from the sixties). This is a kind of ersatz exhaust, powered by a sound system, which can project synthesised V8 engine noises to the outside world at up to 128 decibels - as loud as the outgoing petrol V8 Hellcat.
"The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept exists because performance made us do it," said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer - Stellantis. "Dodge is about muscle, attitude and performance, and the brand carries that chip on its shoulder and into the BEV segment through a concept loaded with patents, innovations and performance features that embody the electrified muscle of tomorrow. The Charger Daytona SRT Concept can do more than run the car show circuit; it can run a blazing quarter-mile. And when it comes to product cycles, it outruns Darwin. Charger Daytona does more than define where Dodge is headed, it will redefine American muscle in the process. One day ago, the brand's first-ever electrified performance vehicle was unveiled, the all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet. Today, we revealed a peek at our eMuscle future with the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept. When we said it was going to be an electric summer for Dodge, we meant it."
There's probably no chance of the production-ready electric Charger coming to Ireland, but hey, we can dream, right?