Dodge Charger Lays Claim To World’s First All-Electric Muscle Car And It’s A Beast
Earlier this week, Dodge revealed the latest Charger refresh, including the world's first fully electric muscle car that comes either in Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack or Dodge Charger Daytona R/T form. In fact, even the ICE versions have undergone significant powertrain changes as well—gone are the 5.7- and 6.4-liter HEMIs (sad face), and in with twin-turbo equipped 3.0L SIXPACK Hurricane engines. There will be a standard output 420 hp version called the Charger SIXPACK S.O., followed by a 550 hp Charger SIXPACK H.O. model. Dodge is gambling on the fact that the new motors produce better MPG, power, and torque numbers than their predecessors, and sidelining fans who'd prefer the traditional V8 rumble and making gas station stops every two hundred miles.
Of course, the highlight (appropriately so) goes to the EV version of the Charger. Mentally and culturally, the very idea of it goes against the grain, but this is the future and Dodge hopes to get your full buy-in by making the electric version the fastest and most powerful muscle car on the planet.
With the Scat Pack-equipped Charger Daytona, for example, the car possesses 670 horses pumped through all four corners from a 400V propulsion system (and 100.5 kWh battery pack). This allows drivers to scoot from 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds, and zoom through a quarter mile in 11.5 seconds. Range is expected to be decent at roughly 317 miles for the R/T and 260 for the Scat Pack.
One feature that might split the camp is the EVs fake exhaust system called the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust System. Dodge actually makes a big deal about this heavily-developed setup even if ultimately it's making digitized engine combustion sounds. The R/T and Scat Pack have rear exhaust pipes that replicate sounds of an ICE engine, up to 126 dB (such as the 6.2-liter V8 from a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat). To make these convincing vroom-vroom sounds, Dodge utilizes four large speakers (with the aid sensors and algorithms) that mimic the actual vibrations and sounds from an engine, whereby the soundwaves resonate through the length of the resonant pipes just like that on an ICE car.
Nonetheless, with this new lineup, Dodge has no doubt opened the way for enthusiasts to enjoy muscles cars in a whole new way. It'll be interesting to see what Chevy and Ford do next.
