Update: ‘Multi-speed transmission’ sub-section updated.
The first Dodge electric car has been officially unveiled, and as expected, it’s a near-production concept model. Called Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept, the first Dodge electric car will be the brand’s North Star as it moves into the future beyond its famed SRT hellcat engine, one that’s tailpipe emission-free.
Here’s everything we know so far about the concept and the production version:
Targets
Tim Kuniskis, CEO, Dodge, revealed the 2024 Dodge electric muscle car’s product brief during the world debut of its concept version on August 17, 2022. Here’s a look at the targets the company had set before starting the development of its first-ever EV:
- Reimagine the iconic muscle car ever
- Make it as aerodynamic as possible
- Package it with an electric powertrain that will outperform current Dodge V8s
- Make it all-weather capable
From July 1, 2023, Kuniskis took on an expanded role within the group and became the new Ram CEO. Stellantis says Kuniskis understands the North American region well, and that will contribute to the truck brand’s growth with a special focus on expanding its reach in the global markets. Mike Koval Jr., the former Ram CEO, became the Head of Mopar North America on the same day. The management changes shouldn’t affect Dodge’s EV plans.
Name
Dodge hasn’t released the final name of its 2024 electric muscle car, leading the media to speculate various titles, including Charger EV, Charger Daytona, and Charger Daytona EV. According to a report MoparInsiders.com published on August 6, 2023, one thing is certain: the production electric muscle car will incorporate the ‘Daytona’ moniker. The report says that the Daytona branding will be exclusive to pure-electric Dodge models. We expect an official announcement regarding this matter in early 2024.
Design & Features
The concept version of Dodge’s first electric car isn’t a two-door Challenger or a four-door Charger, but a two-door Charger. However, there are rumors in the media that the production version will be a four-door Charger. On March 26, 2023, supported by information obtained from the Stellantis Dealer Business Meeting 2023, MoparInsiders.com published a report saying the next-gen Charger would be a four-door model.
During the Talking About Cars Podcast (via YouTube) on July 27, 2023, AutoForecast Solutions analyst Sam Fiorani mentioned that the production car will be available in two-door and four-door versions. He said that the two-door version will go on sale first, although he didn’t reveal when exactly the four-door version would follow.
The 2024 Dodge electric muscle car may look like a new-generation muscle car that captures classic proportions with fresh design elements, some more contemporary and others quite futuristic. The new ‘Greys of Thunder’ color shown on the concept version would go well with its stealth appearance.
The Charger Daytona SRT Concept features a radical front wing, which Dodge calls ‘R-Wing.’ We’re referring to the unique aerodynamic pass-through between the headlights, which almost disappear and stay hidden underneath. The R-Wing pays homage to the original Charger Daytona design and improves the car’s downforce by letting air flow from the dual openings to the hood and further back.
Fratzog
In addition to the two-eyed rectangular headlights, a full-width, rectangular DRL, and an illuminated Fratzog logo are part of the dramatic front lighting. The comeback of the three-pointed Fratzog badge, which Dodge originally introduced in 1962, marks the beginning of the brand’s zero-emissions journey. In the lower portion, the wide air intake grille’s vertical slots are a throwback to the 1968 Dodge Charger. The rear lighting features a full-width design centered by an illuminated Fratzog badge.
On the sides, the electric muscle car concept flaunts slim door mirrors, a sloping roofline, a large quarter glass that allows rear-seat occupants to get a decent view of the surroundings, red Brembo brake calipers, flush door handles, and brushed aluminum “screaming” Banshee fender badges. The shoulder line swiftly rises towards the back and then similarly slopes down from below the C-pillar.
Wheels
Originally, the Charger Daytona SRT Concept featured painted-pocket 21-inch wheels with diamond-cut faces. The new Stryker Red unit Dodge showcased at the 2022 SEMA Show featured revised wheels and tires. The company used new 18-inch Direct Connection lightweight carbon-fiber concept wheels with 305 mm drag radials this time. Later the same month, it switched to a third set of alloy wheels for the 2022 LA Auto Show (November 17-27, 2022), with a dull gray finish.
Aero optimized body
The slim mirrors and sloping roofline should progress to the production car, making it aerodynamically efficient and capable of covering a longer distance. Moreover, Dodge may offer closed wheels optionally for even better aerodynamics. There would be some customers who are willing to trade aggressiveness for lower energy consumption.
Our target for this Daytona (electric) is to improve another 25% from today’s car. That’s a 100 years of aero progress in a single generation.
Tim Kuniskis, CEO, Dodge (Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept world premiere on August 17, 2022)
Fratzonic chamber exhaust
As captivating as it may look, that’s not the main highlight of the Dodge electric muscle car. The talking point is the ‘Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust’ system. Yes, Dodge basically added an exhaust to a battery-powered car, leaving no excuse for old-school muscle car fans to make the switch!
Dodge says that its industry-first, patent-pending exhaust system delivers a performance sound that rivals the gas-powered SRT Hellcat. It can reach 126 dB, which makes the car as loud as a Hellcat-powered Dodge. The screaming Banshee fender badges aren’t an open invitation to mock the car’s electric powertrain, as this car can roar for sure, though artificially!
Thanks to the patented Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, the output is going to be as visceral as those that came before it – 126 decibels of output. How loud is that? That’s Hellcat loud, that’s tower fly by spill your coffee loud.
Tim Kuniskis, CEO, Dodge (Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept world premiere on August 17, 2022)
Kuniskis talked about the Fratzonic Chamber Exhaust with Motor Trend at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show (September 14-25, 2022). He said the company has changed its sound a thousand times and “will continue to” until it finds the right note. “We’re still working on it and we have a plan to do something with it at SEMA that will help,” the brand boss added, indicating that 2022 SEMA Show visitors will experience a different sound from the faux exhaust system of the concept.
Customer clinics for Fratzonic exhaust held at SEMA Auto Show
The video below shows Dodge offering 2022 SEMA Auto Show visitors a taste of the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust. We can’t tell if there’s a difference in the sound, but we’re no audio experts, which is what one will probably need to be to notice the incremental updates Dodge rolls out until it launches the production model! On-site teams at the 2022 SEMA Show were conducting consumer clinics for this feature. The company should continue gathering feedback from potential buyers to make enhancements until the launch.
Video Source: YouTube/KleanShots
During the Autoline After Hours podcast (via YouTube) on September 22, 2022, Kuniskis said that Dodge is still working on the sound and has plenty of time to improve it. When idle, the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system plays a bass track “that is literally the firing order of a Hemi V8,” the brand boss added. It moves air through an actual speaker system, a box with chambers, plenums, pipes, and an exhaust outlet. Air forced out of the back of the car was important so that the driver feels there’s actually some connection and not just some simulated sound.
Production car “very similar” to the concept
The 1500 REV electric truck’s design was drastically simplified from the concept. Ram strongly hinted that it would be a futuristic, bespoke EV, but it ended up being just a conversion of the ICE 1500. Asked by MotorTrend if that would also be the fate of the road-ready Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said “it will be very similar,” assuring Dodge won’t disappoint customers and fans pumped up by its high-tech show car.
Colors
Dodge is likely to offer a particularly wide range of color options for the Charger Daytona, letting customers customize their car to a high degree. The company has already hinted at Black, gray, orange, green, purple, and red, with some, like green, for instance, planned in light and dark shades.
Interior & Features
Electric muscle car buyers would expect a modern and highly digital interior, and that’s what we’re expecting for the 2024 Dodge electric muscle car based on the Daytona SRT show car. The cabin would still be conventional-looking by all means, though.
Touchscreen & HUD
The first Dodge electric muscle car is expected with a slim dashboard, a 12.3-inch touchscreen tilted ten degrees towards the driver, a curved, 16-inch instrument cluster, an 8-by-3-inch head-up display, and a new steering wheel with capacitive touch controls and an illuminated SRT logo, and capacitive touch controls on the doors. The production model should carry over all these features.
Panoramic glass roof
The Charger Daytona SRT Concept has a panoramic glass roof that gives occupants a brighter interior and an increased sense of space. On August 27, 2023, MoparInsiders.com reported that its sources have confirmed that Dodge will offer this feature in the production model. Customers upgrading from the current gas-powered Charger, which has small rear windows, would surely appreciate the panoramic glass roof. We’re yet to know if this feature will be available in both 2-door and 4-door versions.
Attitude Adjustment Lighting
An ‘Attitude Adjustment Lighting’ ambient light system illuminates a dynamic texture, underlining the concept’s performance-oriented nature. Lightweight, race-inspired, and slim front seats, panoramic glass roof, race-inspired carbon-fiber tub floor and hatch, large cargo area with flat-folding rear seats, and performance sounds are some more noteworthy features of its interior.
Everyday practicality
Dodge designers going for a hatchback rear-end will be a big boon in everyday practicality. Customers can expect plenty of cargo space behind the rear seats. Folding down the rear seats flat would free up more room. The 2024 Dodge electric muscle car will be a model that customers can use for their occasional quarter-mile runs and regular runs to Costco, too.
Digital cockpit with OTA
Stellantis, Dodge’s parent company, has formed a 50/50 joint venture called Mobile Drive with Foxconn to build digital cockpits. Based in the Netherlands, Mobile Drive will develop infotainment, telematics, and cloud service platforms. The infotainment system could be a brand-new unit developed by Mobile Drive and includes AI, 5G, and OTA software updates.
Dodge EVs will be upgraded with new features via over-the-air (OTA) software upgrades for years after being delivered to customers. Technology-wise, the electric vehicle will stay up to date. Customers may, for instance, enable a power boost function or enable a permanent increase in power at any moment during their ownership.
Specifications
Platform & Range
The Dodge electric muscle car will require large battery packs to deliver plenty of horsepower and a long range. So, expect it to ride on the STLA Large platform, which can accommodate battery packs that have a gross energy content of 101-118 kWh and can provide a range of up to 500 miles.
Performance
The STLA Large platform allows high-output electric motors that produce 150-330 kW (201-442 hp), which engineers could further develop for the muscle car application. Dodge could use two or three motors, one at the front and one or two at the rear.
Dodge will offer the Charger Daytona with a 400-volt powertrain and an 800-volt SRT Banshee powertrain. Announcing the drivable show car, the company indicated that every configuration of its production version will have at least two motors. It said that “the standard AWD system is key to pushing beyond Hellcat performance while also improving all-weather capability.”
9 power levels
Customers will get to choose from three trim classes with different power levels. The base and mid-level trim classes will be called 340 and 440, and both will sport a 400-volt powertrain. The top-end trim class will be SRT, sporting the 800-volt SRT Banshee powertrain. Two Direct Connection (DC) eStage Kit power level upgrades will be available for all the trim classes. Thus, in total, there will be nine possible powertrain outputs.
Dodge has revealed that the 400-volt powertrain can produce 455-670 hp, but it is saving the 800-volt powertrain’s power levels for a future announcement. Customers who want to activate a DC eStage Kit power level upgrade will need to purchase, download, and install a software registered to their car’s VIN over the air. They’ll also need to plug a “crystal” key into the dash to authenticate and unlock the power level upgrade. Dodge will offer “Stage 1″/”Stage 2” fender badges with all DC eStage Kits.
| Configuration (Trim w/o upgrade) | Powertrain | System Power |
| 340 | 400V | 340 kW (455 hp) |
| 340 + DC Stage 1 upgrade | 400V | 370 kW (495 hp) |
| 340 + DC Stage 2 upgrade | 400V | 400 kW (535 hp) |
| 440 | 400V | 440 kW (590 hp) |
| 440 + DC Stage 1 upgrade | 400V | 470 kW (630 hp) |
| 340 + DC Stage 2 upgrade | 400V | 500 kW (670 hp) |
| SRT | 800V SRT Banshee | To Be Announced |
| SRT + DC Stage 1 upgrade | 800V SRT Banshee | To Be Announced |
| SRT + DC Stage 2 upgrade | 800V SRT Banshee | To Be Announced |
In addition to power level upgrades, customers will be able to unlock new drive modes anytime during their ownership. They will be able to enable a Slam mode, Drift mode, Drag mode, and even a Donut mode, Kuniskis said at the Daytona SRT Concept’s unveiling.
According to a report The Detroit News published on August 17, 2022, while some of the upgrades for the upcoming Dodge electric muscle car will be available through over-the-air updates, Dodge wants customers to buy Direct Connection tools and get the installation done at its ‘Power Broker’ dealers.
Multi-speed transmission
The Charger Daytona SRT has an eRupt multi-speed transmission with electro-mechanical shifting. In an interview with Motor Authority in August 2022, Kuniskis revealed that it is heavier and costlier than the commonly used single-speed transmission, and it can’t make the car faster. However, this transmission can make a car more fun to drive. Plus, it can allow the driver to take advantage of more traction, say, with big, really sticky tires. The transmission wouldn’t ‘simulate’ shifting, rather offering a ‘real’ experience of shifting gears.
PowerShot
Electric muscle car prospects can also look forward to the ‘PowerShot’ horsepower boost function, which the driver can activate with a button on the steering wheel. Dodge says that it’s faster than a Hellcat in all the main performance measures. The production version of this drivable concept should have this feature.
F1-inspired suspension
Patent filings on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), viewable on Google Patents, suggest that the Dodge electric muscle car will feature a new F1-inspired pushrod suspension design. They may use horizontal dampers and active control elements along with coil springs or traverse leaf springs. On May 3, 2022, citing Kuniskis, MoparInsiders.com said that Stellantis is still patenting the innovations of the upcoming Dodge electric muscle car concept. Perhaps, the new pushrod suspension is one of the Dodge electric muscle car patents.
Modification restrictions
The traditional muscle car ownership experience includes modifications at home and through street customization specialists, but that’s about to change. According to Dodge, EVs aren’t as safe and easy to modify as gas cars. “We just want to lock them and say modify them through us so that we know that it’s done right,” Kuniskis said, as per a report Kelly Blue Book published on January 10, 2023. The company will offer upgrades for the Charger Daytona through its Direct Connection and Power Broker program (as stated in the previous section), he added.
Customers willing to upgrade will need to purchase what Kuniskis calls “crystals.” These would be codes usable exclusively by particular VINs. Think of it as if someone buys a license to upgrade their laptop’s factory-installed Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro and this license only activates on that laptop with its unique serial number.
Production
Production of the Dodge electric muscle car models could either be in Canada or the United States. MoparInsiders, citing its sources, reported on August 9, 2022, that the all-new electric Dodge Challenger (Dodge LB) and electric Dodge Charger (Dodge LF) will be built at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada.
Price
The first Dodge electric muscle car may start at under USD 50,000 for the base configuration and touch USD 100,000 for the top-of-the-line variant. We’re expecting Dodge to do a phase-wise launch, and select configurations might become available later, once the production ramps up.
Release Date
The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept’s production version will be launched in the U.S. in 2024. In the meantime, the Dodge electric muscle car concept is being promoted at various events. In May 2023, Dodge brought the Charger Daytona SRT Concept to the Stellantis Design Cars + Coffee event, showcasing it in the Stryker Red color. The same month, the highly anticipated Fast X premiered in cinemas and featured the show car in the Greys of Thunder color.
Dodge will embrace the sea of change in the marketplace to stand out by embracing electrification. Every ounce of technology we integrate will be done to amplify the elements that define not just Dodge but the muscle car itself, and in 2024, Dodge will launch the world’s first full battery electric car muscle car.
Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Dodge, in July 2021
Speaking to the Muscle Cars and Trucks in April 2022, Kuniskis said that the electric muscle car will “look like a Dodge, sound like a Dodge, drive like a Dodge and perform like a Dodge.” Having seen the concept now, we can tick the look and sound boxes, but we’ll have to wait to know if the EV will deliver on the performance aspect!
Unveiling the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 on March 20, 2023, Kuniskis hinted that more Dodge EVs would follow the Charger Daytona:
The new Charger Daytona will redefine American muscle, and don’t worry, you know us. We haven’t fully pulled back the curtain on this, or maybe these cars just yet.
Tim Kuniskis, CEO, Dodge (2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 reveal on March 20, 2023)
The debut of the Dodge electric car concept is part of Dodge’s ‘Never Lift’ two-year business plan, which the company revealed on November 8, 2021. Dodge claims that Never Lift is a blueprint for the company’s future performance. It will make a product- or automotive-enthusiast-related news release to keep consumers and fans interested every quarter. It has created a website (dodgegarage.com) that provides visitors with a 48-hour notice of impending announcements.
Charger & Challenger gas model discontinuation
The gas-powered Charger and Challenger have entered the runout phase months before the launch of the all-electric muscle car. Dodge has announced that it will stop taking orders for the gas-engined muscle cars by the end of July 2023. The company plans to roll out the last units of the iconic models by December 31, 2023. This is the end of the road for the Charger and Challenger “in their current forms,” Dodge said.
While it’s the end of an era, it’s also the dawn of a new one. The Hornet R/T, the first electrified Dodge, will start arriving at dealerships by the end of July 2023. In 2024, the Charger Daytona SRT Concept’s production version will join the plug-in hybrid SUV as the brand’s first pure-electric model.
TopElectricSUV says
The electrified Dodge marks a significant milestone for the muscle car, and is a crucial step towards ensuring the longevity and relevance of the brand. It serves as a necessary measure to future-proof Dodge and secure its place in the fast-changing automotive landscape for years to come.
The Dodge electric muscle car may not offer the evocative feeling of piloting a Charger that customers have come to love, but the significantly better performance, quicker acceleration, trouble-free maintenance, and the other benefits of all-electric will add new appeal to America’s muscle car. Additionally, thanks to a space-efficient platform, it will be more practical, too!
Dodge electric muscle car FAQs
What is first Dodge electric muscle car release date?
The first Dodge electric muscle car will be launched in 2024.
What will be the first Dodge electric muscle car price?
The first Dodge electric muscle car should begin at around USD 50,000.
Featured Image Source: Stellantis
