Update: ‘Performance’ sub-section of ‘Specifications’ updated. Show
The first Dodge electric car has been officially unveiled, and as expected, it’s a near-production concept model. However, much to our surprise, it is not a two-door Challenger or a four-door Charger, but a two-door Charger. 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. A Dodge spokesperson confirmed to Motor1.com in July 2022 that future Dodge muscle cars will be electric-only models. Here’s everything we know so far about the new concept and its production version: TargetsTim 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:
DesignThe 2024 Dodge electric muscle car may look like a new-generation Challenger that captures its 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, 21-inch wheels, 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. Aero optimized body The slim mirrors and sloping roofline should repeat on 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.
Fratzonic chamber exhaust As captivating as it may look, that’s not the main highlight. The talking point here is what Dodge calls ‘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!
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. Interior & FeaturesElectric 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 Dayona 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. 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. At Stellantis’ Software Day 2021 event, Mamatha Chamarthi, SVP – Software Business & Product, discussed such possibilities.
SpecificationsPlatform & RangeThe 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. PerformanceThe 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.
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 transmissionThe 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. PowerShotElectric 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 suspensionPatent 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. ProductionProduction 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. According to some others, the first production Dodge electric muscle car could be an American-made model. Citing industry sources, Sam Fiorani, the Vice President of Global Vehicle Forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, has said Stellantis could relocate the production of Dodge muscle cars from Brampton (Canada) to its Belvidere Assembly Plant (Illinois, U.S.) Crain’s Chicago Business reported this development on November 23, 2021. The American factory is the right size for Dodge’s Challenger and Charger muscle cars, Fiorani said. Battery productionIf the next-gen cars are manufactured in Canada, the first Dodge electric muscle car’s batteries could be sourced from Stellantis and LG Energy’s local joint venture lithium-ion battery production plant in Windsor (Ontario). Production at this plant will start in Q1 2024 (January-March 2024). A joint investment of CAD 5 billion (USD 4 billion) will go into this factory. Should the first Dodge electric muscle car be a U.S.-built model, batteries could come from Stellantis and Samsung SDI’s local joint venture battery production plant in Kokomo (Indiana). The companies plan to start production in 2025, with an annual capacity of 23 GWh and a later expansion to 33 GWh. The companies will invest more than USD 2.5 billion in the facility. Release DateThe first Dodge electric muscle car inspired by the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept will be launched in the U.S. market in 2024. 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.
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. No gas-powered Dodge muscle cars beyond 2024The end of production of the current-gen Challenger and Charger at the Brampton (Ontario) Assembly Plant will be the permanent end of gas-powered Dodge muscle cars. Dodge doesn’t plan to launch all-new gas-powered Challenger and Charger models and that the next generation of these muscle cars will be electric-only models. Little did we know then that even the non-Hellcat gas-powered Dodge muscle cars were on the verge of extinction. In November 2021, Kuniskis had told Motor Authority that the Dodge Hellcat models would be phased out by the end of 2023. Customers interested in the Dodge Hellcat would have to explore the electric Dodge cars. TopElectricSUV saysThe 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! 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 under USD 50,000. Featured Image Source: Stellantis I’m an automotive journalist with 4 years of experience in magazine and digital publishing, content creation, social media management and YouTube. A car enthusiast who converted my passion into a profession! How much will the 2023 Dodge Challenger cost?The base 2023 Dodge Challenger SXT costs $32,140, including a $1,595 destination fee. That's $865 more expensive than the 2022 Dodge Challenger. Aside from the special-edition models, changes to the last year of the beloved muscle car are minimal.
Is there going to be a 2024 Dodge Challenger?The end of the V8 era may be fast approaching, but a former employee has suggested the 2024 Dodge Challenger and 2024 Dodge Charger will adopt a new 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine.
Will there be a Dodge Challenger in 2023?Charger and Challenger will each offer 14 total 2023 exterior color options. 2023 Charger and Challenger R/T models will also feature new “345” fender badging, a callout to the 345-cubic-inch HEMI® engine under the hood.
Is Dodge discontinuing the Challenger in 2023?Finally, Dodge confirmed that 2023 would see the last Challenger and Charger models in their current ICE-powered iterations. The automaker is bidding farewell to the beloved muscle cars with a fitting tribute: "Last Call" plaques underneath the hoods.
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