The muscle car goes electric: Dodge debuts EV Charger

Let the charger puns begin. After pledging to create the world’s first electric ‘muscle car’ last year, Dodge has debuted the Charger Daytona SRT Concept.

Although it is not yet confirmed for production, the SRT Concept signals a grand step for the Stellantis company as it prepares to electrify its line-up while simultaneously hoping to lure in traditional muscle car faithful.

The sleek Dodge sports familiar retro styling, borrowing much of its general silhouette and proportions (and door count) from the Challenger, adding in sunken taillights similar to those on the current charger.

The interior and exterior both appear to be largely production ready, underlining the likelihood of Dodge adding the SRT Concept to its line-up in some form.

Curiously, Dodge elected not to share the model’s power output. This is an oddity given how Dodge often champions its performance products based on how much power they produce.

Nevertheless, the brand says the model is set to represent its new performance pinnacle. Its electric powertrain is referred to as the ‘Banshee’, with Dodge saying that the plug-in powertrain sits above the Hemi, Hellcat, and Redeye models in its performance hierarchy.

The brand has indicated that the 800-volt Banshee motor layout produces more power than the SRT Hellcat, which means it will possess in excess of 530kW. Dodge says the model is quicker than the Hellcat in all key metrics, meaning it will accelerate to 100km/h in less than the Hellcat’s 3.5 seconds.

Dodge promises that the model will feature some old-school performance car charms that other electric rivals (like the Tesla Model S, perhaps) don’t possess.

These include a new eRupt multi-speed transmission that features electro-mechanical shifting, a push-to-pass ‘PowerShot’ feature, and sound. Dodge has developed a ‘Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust’ system for the model, which produces a 126db motor sound using an amplifier and tuning chamber.

The ‘Dark Matter’ sound the system creates simulates a rev range and is set to be the first system of its kind in a plug-in performance car. Dodge has a patent pending on the system.

“The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept exists because performance made us do it,” says Dodge brand chief executive Tim Kuniskis.

“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 pertformance 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.”