It's been a while since Dodge unveiled the world's first battery-electric muscle car with ICE options, the new generation Charger, and we thought we'd see more of it during this time. However, we were wrong, as other than the occasional report and some rumors, the automaker kept quiet about it for the most part.
But while the company's lips may be somewhat sealed regarding this model, the Stellantis-owned brand continues to test it, likely making some last-minute adjustments before production commences. As it happens, one prototype of the model was recently spotted gathering dust in a parking lot, apparently somewhere in Michigan, and driving away shortly after.
The ride in question, which is a pre-production car outfitted with some gizmos that won't make their way to the final model, featured a black paint finish. It had Y-spoke alloys in the same color and red brake calipers with Brembo branding on the main ones. The Goodyear rubber looked very good, so the traction system was probably not being tested on this prototype.
Dodge is expected to start deliveries of the all-new Charger before the end of this year, and initial data reveals that most customers are only interested in the ICE-powered versions, and only a small fraction would buy the Daytona EV—aka this car's spec. This further proves that new car buyers have lost their interest in EVs despite some of them being ultra-fast in straight-line acceleration.
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Swamp
The entry-level Daytona R/T has 496 horsepower, and the Scat Pack brings this number to 670 horsepower while also upping the torque from 404 to 625 pound-foot (548-850 Nm) of torque. These feature 400-volt electric architectures, and an 800-volt flagship is said to be in the making, featuring a two-speed transmission and probably a four-digit output, since the company needs to make up for the discontinued Demon 170, which had 1,025 hp in its top configuration.
With a gasoline burner under its hood, the new Charger has 420 hp in the base configuration and 550 hp in the superior one. Both use a 3.0L twin-turbo six-cylinder unit, and the V8 will no longer be available. As a result, the Ford Mustang is the only brand-new muscle car still available with V8 firepower, and only God (and GM) knows what Chevy has in store for the next-gen Camaro.
Only time will tell if Dodge's new 2025 Charger Daytona EV will succeed and if most clients will indeed pick the ICE-powered versions. Until then, we can't wait to see if this model is any good and worthy of the yet-undisclosed price tag. Meanwhile, let's take a look at the scooped prototype, which was captured standing still and gathering dust and in motion for a few brief moments.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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