We all know Dodge sold the ancient Charger and Challenger for what seemed like forever. But if this new concept is any indication of the brand’s future electromechanical plans, this future of EV performance could be something to look forward to. Take a look at the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept.
It’s pure muscle. There are clear design cues regarding the brand’s past all over. Seen from the front, there’s a mix of the previous charger and the current Challenger, with hidden headlights. This is surrounded by an illuminated light bar that runs the width of the vehicle. It focuses on something we’ve been teased about before: Fratzog . coat of arms. It’s illuminated here and is a key part of Dodge’s electric vehicle plan. While the badge meant nothing in the past, it will stand as a symbol for future Dodge performance EVs.
There’s also functional performance up front. Carbon air intakes and Dodge’s patented R Wing. A blast from the past, this aerodynamic part of the hood helps reduce force and airflow.
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The side and rear views are what’s surprising here. While the roofline is old-school second-gen Charger, from the door to the back seems to take influence from the 2011-’15 Charger with how squared off it is. The rear tail lights are of a similar racetrack design that was in use on the Charger then and the Durango currently. Dark painted 21-inch diamond-cut wheels with the Fratzong logo and new Banshee fender emblems round everything out. I’ll get to that Banshee in a bit. Out back is something special. Dodge has actually fitted an exhaust to an EV.
They call it Fratzonic chambered exhaust. With its ability to reach a cop attracting 126 decibels, Dodge says it’s as loud as a Hellcat. Awesome.
Inside is a more futuristic departure from the old-school muscle exterior. It’s an EV, so you know they had to throw some screens inside. Dodge says they’ve fitted the largest screen they have ever put into a vehicle in the Charger Daytona. At 12.3-inches, it, along with a 16-inch curved instrument cluster, is angled towards the driver. Another 8.3-inches of HUD display shows vital info in front of the driver. There’s blue plasma and silver stitching throughout that Dodge says reminds you of the electricity that powers this thing.
There are also excellent-looking carbon-backed seats, a full glass roof, and a pistol grip shifter. And surprise, surprise, the damn thing is a liftback with seats that fold down.
While the design is great, what you want to know about is the performance. While Dodge isn’t talking specifics yet, there’s likely something good here. Those Banshee badges on the front fenders denote an all-new electric powertrain. The Charger Daytona SRT gets powered by what Dodge says is an 800-volt Banshee propulsion system. That gets routed to an all-wheel drive system with an actual transmission. Dodge calls it eRupt and its multi-speed and electro-mechanical. That’s all just fancy engineering speak for it actually has some feel to it. It also comes equipped with a power boost feature called PowerShot. When pressed, an unknown amount of extra horsepower is provided for a bit more go.
While the head of Dodge admitted that he received death threats when he announced that the brand will run on electricity, if this is what eclectic Dodge is for it looks like they need to get this to market ASAP. And with Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep tending to put concepts into production almost unchanged, I’m willing to bet this is what you’ll see in dealerships over the next few years. I need to prepare my bank account.
