2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV: What We Know So Far (2024)

Overview

The mission of the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV is brief but succinct: deliver a muscle-car driving experience in an all-electric package. How that scenario will play out on the road, on the track, and in the marketplace remains to be seen, but Dodge is doubling down with horsepower, the universal language of the muscle-car species. Specifically, 496 of them for the Charger Daytona R/T and 670 in the Charger Daytona Scat Pack. Dodge is also hedging its bet with gasoline-powered Charger variants powered by the Hurricane twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder; that version is set to arrive in 2025 and is reviewed elsewhere. Electric Chargers are distinguished from their gas siblings by the Daytona suffix on their name badge. They are powered by a 100.5-kW nickel cobalt aluminum battery that juices front and rear motors, the rear with a limited-slip differential, and the front with a disconnect for improved efficiency. Dodge’s affinity for playfully mining its past continues with the electronic “Fratzonic” exhaust system—a riff on the triangular Fratzog symbol that appeared on its classic muscle cars—that provides the Charger Daytona with an ear-splitting synthetic exhaust note. Styling-wise, the new two-door Charger sidesteps the previous two incarnations, instead channeling the first- and second-generation Chargers with a modern, decluttered finish inside and out. While the phrase “EV muscle car” may need a few years to assimilate into the vernacular of the gasoline-veined faithful, the Charger Daytona has the looks and enough muscle that apologies will probably not be required. These first-edition electric two-doors will be followed in 2025 by a four-door model, which will also be available in both gas and electric form.

What's New for 2024?

Everything. The Charger is new from the ground up, and the electric-only Charger Daytona variant detailed here represents the brand's first full-bore shot fired into the emerging realm of EV muscle cars. The two-door versions are scheduled to begin production in mid-2024 with deliveries to follow. The four-door sedan variants of the Charger Daytona R/T and Daytona Scat Pack—and the gasoline two- and four-door Chargers—are slated to begin production in early 2025. An even more powerful SRT Banshee trim is also in the works, but we suspect it won't launch until the 2026 model year.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Pricing isn’t yet available, but given that the base model Charger needs to retain its somewhat wide appeal, we feel it will land slightly north of $50,000 to start. The Charger Scat Pack will command a premium, and we expect that list for around $60,000. Were the Scat Pack the ultimate Charger EV, we’d revise that price estimate northward, but our intel indicates that title is reserved for a forthcoming Charger Banshee; expect that version to push the $100,000 mark and its power output to crest at around 1000 horsepower. That said, at this point, we recommend the Charger Scat Pack as its added 274 hp is a bargain at that price. Also of note, buyers’ of 2024 models received the Direct Connection Stage 1 upgrade kit that added 40 horsepower (Charger Daytona R/T) or Stage 2 kit that added 80 horsepower (Charger Daytona Scat Pack), as standard. Both will be options on later model years, meaning the base R/T will come with 456 horsepower and the standard Scat Pack will deliver 590.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

Both Dodge Charger Daytona models utilize a 400V architecture with an integrated charge module and two electric motors, one front and one rear. A 100.5 kW nickel cobalt aluminum battery provides the juice. Three levels of regeneration are available via wheel-mounted paddle, and a PowerShot button on the steering wheel provides a 15-second power boost of 40 hp, enabling them to access their respective maximum quoted output figures of 496 hp for the Daytona R/T and 670 for the Daytona Scat Pack. To ensure you don’t forget this EV is a Dodge EV, optional features include a Donut mode, a Drift mode, Line Locks, and Launch control. An available Track Package brings 20-inch wheels running Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tires sized 305/35ZR in front and 325/35ZR in the rear. Performance pages return, clocking performance metrics with timers, gauges, g-forces, propulsion system information, and more, and recording them for the driver’s review. There’s also an available Drive Experience Recorder that combines audio, video, and vehicle data with inboard and outboard cameras to produce first-person experiential videos that can be played back in the vehicle or externally. We’ll update this section with real-world observations and performance facts and testing data as soon as we get our hands on the new Charger Daytona.

0–60-MPH Times

Dodge claims a 3.3-second 60-mph time for the Daytona Scat Pack and estimates it will clear the quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds. The R/T follows at 4.7 seconds to 60 mph and 13.4 seconds in the quarter-mile. Top speeds are 137 and 134 mph, respectively.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

Range numbers aren’t yet set in stone, but preliminary Dodge estimates peg the Charger R/T’s range at 317 miles and the Charger Scat Pack at 260 miles. Peak charge rate is 183 kW; onboard charging is limited to 11 kW. Dodge claims the Charger can be recharged from 20 to 80 percent in just over 27 minutes when hooked to a Level 3 DC CCS fast charger. A 350-kW fast charger is estimated to add approximately 9.9 miles per minute of charging time for the Daytona R/T and 8.1 miles per minute for the Daytona Scat Pack. Optional Level 2 charging units will be available from Dodge; public charging credits can be used via Stellantis’ new Free2Move Charge EV charging program.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Daytonas offer a choice of either 10.3-inch or 16.0-inch instrument cluster screens. All versions come with a 12.3-inch infotainment display. Like the exterior, interior designers worked to echo the style and feel of the original 1968 Charger. A modern interpretation of the classic Dodge “pistol grip” shifter resides in the center console, along with the start/power button and a wireless phone charger. This is a hatchback, though it doesn't look like it, and the rear seats fold flat to provide 38.5 cubic feet of storage room (23 cubes with the seats in place), which Dodge says is 133 percent more cargo volume than the outgoing Charger. A small frunk provides an additional 1.5 cubic feet of storage.

Infotainment and Connectivity

A 12.3-inch touchscreen gives access to Chrysler’s intuitive Uconnect 5 infotainment system, providing access to satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and navigation, including the new Navigator Charging Location feature for easier location of charging stations. New electric vehicle pages share power flow information, battery regeneration status, and charge states. A new digital key app links to your phone, and includes an NFC Smart Card for times when you don’t have it. phone-less adventures. The free Dodge phone app allows remote monitoring of charge levels, setting of charge schedules, and location of charging stations. A head-up display is available; standard audio is an Alpine nine-speaker, 506-watt stereo with subwoofer; a premium 18-speaker, 914-watt Alpine system with subwoofer is optional.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Charger features a comprehensive list of standard and optional safety and driver-assistance tech regardless of the powertrain. In addition to the typical standard kit like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist, it also includes “vulnerable road users’ detection,” a broadly-named tech item for pedestrians and bicyclists. For more information about the Charger’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard adaptive cruise control
• Available camera-based parking assistance feature

As more information becomes available, we'll update this story with more details about:

• Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe
• Warranty and Maintenance Coverage