The new generation 2025 Dodge Charger may be a huge disappointment to many because of the radical change in powertrains and the demise of the V8. The electric and fuel-powered Charger will be developed in parallel. The EV models will be collectively known as the Charger Daytona, while the fuel-powered models will adopt the ‘Sixpack’ name. So will the electric models be more powerful than the fuel models, or is there a chance that the V8 will return? Let's find out in this article.
Let's look at the core data first:
Electric Charger Daytona Core Data
Power output: 496 hp for the lowest-powered version, with a 670 hp version available.
Acceleration: the fastest Charger Daytona accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and to the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds.
Range: 510 kilometres for the R/T version and 418 kilometres for the Scat Pack version.
Charging time: 20 per cent to 80 per cent can be fully charged in about 27 minutes via a 350 kW fast charger.
Drivetrain: all-wheel drive (AWD).Transmission: single variable-ratio gear, two-speed setup to be introduced in the future.
Fuel Charger Sixpack core data
Power output: The High Output version offers 550bhp, with an additional 420bhp version.
Engine type: Twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre Hurricane straight-six.
Drive: All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard.
Other features
Platform: Based on Stellantis' STLA platform, achieving an almost 50/50 weight distribution.
Design: inherits design elements from the concept, including the distinctive front 'R' wing and classic Fratzog logo.
Interior: Digital interior with analogue styling, offering premium options such as Nappa leather seats and the latest Uconnect 5 system.
Exterior dimensions: the vehicle is approximately 5.18 metres long and almost 2.13 metres wide, and is available in a hatchback design for additional practical cargo space.
However, Dodge doesn't want consumers to think of it only as an electric or fuel-efficient vehicle. In the eyes of Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis, the new Charger is a muscle car no matter how the power is generated.
That's a pretty compelling argument, and the 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona, which goes into production this year (2024), will have a whopping 496 horsepower even in its lowest-powered version.
There is a 670-horsepower version, each of which sends power to all four wheels. The internal combustion engine (ICE) version of the Charger is also available with all-wheel drive (AWD) and goes into production next year with 420 hp or 550 hp respectively.
The fastest Charger Daytona accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds. Dodge claims the new Charger Daytona is the world's fastest and most powerful muscle car - and that doesn't include the 800-volt Banshee version that will be launched next year.
Charger Daytona Performance
The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is available in two configurations: the R/T and the Scat Pack. both feature a 400-volt system architecture, share the same dual-motor layout, and are powered by a 100.5 kWh battery pack with a 550 kW discharge rate.
The R/T is the entry model, with the Scat Pack being the premium version for now. This is the first vehicle to use the larger Stellantis STLA platform. Dodge stated that the Charger Daytona achieves a near 50/50 weight distribution thanks to the inclusion of all electric components.
Dodge also revealed that the new Daytona weighs in at 5,838 pounds (about 2,648 kilograms), which is light compared to the old Charger.
To handle this weight, the Daytona comes with the largest tyre package ever.
The Scat Pack configuration of the Track Package is fitted with 20-inch wheels with 305/35 series tyres at the front and 325 series at the rear. Behind the front wheels are 16-inch Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers.
All Charger Daytona models also feature a mechanical limited-slip differential in the rear electric drive module (EDM).
A wheel-end disconnect feature has been designed at the front of the EDM, designed to increase range and efficiency.The R/T has a range of 510 kilometres, while the Scat Pack has a range of 418 kilometres due to the extra horsepower.
With a 350 kW fast charger, the charge goes from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in about 27 minutes.
It is the Scat Pack configuration that wants to achieve acceleration to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and a quarter mile in 11.5 seconds.
The corresponding times for the R/T are 4.7 seconds and 13.1 seconds, but it is actually faster in overall speed.
The R/T has a top speed of 220 km/h, while the Scat Pack is 216 km/h.Each model has a variable-ratio gear, though Kuniskis says the Banshee will have a two-speed setup.
The Charger Daytona has a multi-link front suspension and independent rear suspension.
The Scat Pack's Track Package is available with optional dual-valve semi-active suspension and adaptive dampers, and the term ‘track’ doesn't just mean a straight-line acceleration circuit. A new race preparation system is designed to provide a lower starting temperature for the battery, allowing the driver to complete more laps before temperature becomes an issue.
The Zero 4 acceleration race has a slightly different preparation system that can even come in to heat up the rear tyres in preparation for the start. Or you could ignore it all and opt for dump or drift mode.
Powertrain
It should be noted here that the Charger Daytona Scat Pack has a peak horsepower of 670 hp and torque of 850 Nm, while the R/T has 496 hp and 548 Nm.
However, these figures can only be achieved when pressing the ‘PowerShot’ button on the steering wheel at full throttle. It adds an extra 40bhp from the electric motor for 15 seconds, similar to the nitrous system on a petrol car.
After each press, you need to wait 30 seconds before you can use it again.
Without this feature, the Charger Daytona Scat Pack makes 630 hp, while the R/T drops to 456 hp.
The 2024 Charger Daytona is only available with the Dodge Direct Connection upgrade kit already installed from the factory.The R/T is configured with the Tier 1 kit, which adds 40 hp, and it has a standard output of 416 hp without considering PowerShot.
The Scat Pack is equipped with a secondary package that adds 80 hp, so the horsepower drops to 550 hp before the PowerShot. We asked Dodge for details on the power figures, and a spokesperson explained that the maximum ratings always include PowerShot supercharging and that the upgrade package will no longer be standard by 2025.
No matter the power, drivers hear the Charger Daytona through a Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, which is actually a speaker in a special exhaust-like chamber (that is to say, an analogue sound wave).
Dodge says the car has the same decibel level as the Hellcat, but the exact nature of the sound has not been finalised as Dodge has yet to finalise the details.
Two or four doors?
The size of this car is naturally not small, since the Charger Daytona is based on the large STLA platform. The new Daytona is 5.18 metres long and nearly 2.13 metres wide in both two and four doors. It's also a hatchback, and a large boot opening reveals 22.7 cubic feet (about 642 litres) of cargo space.
With the rear seats folded down, the space increases to 37.3 cubic feet (about 1,056 litres) - which is pretty good for a performance car, even if it's still a bit short of the Dodge Hornet. But the Hornet doesn't have is a front boot, and the Charger Daytona offers an extra 1.5 cubic feet (about 42 litres) of storage space.
The new generation of the four-door Charger will also remain in production. Dodge tells us there's no significant difference between the two- and four-door versions other than the number of doors. Rear passengers have 36.9 inches of headroom and 37.2 inches of legroom, although the space can feel a bit tight due to the traditional transmission tunnel that bisects the cabin.
After all, the STLA Grand platform is designed to accommodate a variety of fuel and electric powertrains.
Interior and Exterior
When Dodge debuted the Charger Daytona SRT EV Concept, it was claimed to be close to production. In fact, Kuniskis says it's pretty much the final design, except for small changes here and there.
Some parts of the design take on traditional shapes, but the rest of the Charger's body resembles the concept. This includes the Fratzog logo in the grille, which could replace the current Dodge two-stripe logo.
The Charger's interior blends digital and traditional styling appeal. Drivers will enjoy the standard 10.25-inch digital display or the optional large 16-inch screen, which works in perfect synergy with the 12.3-inch touchscreen in the centre console.
The dashboard is a throwback inspired by the 1968 Charger. A unique highlight of the centre console is a shift lever styled after a pistol grip.
On the roof, an optional full-length glass sunroof brings bright. For more colourful experience, Dodge offers Attitude Adjustment interior lighting with 64 colour options that change according to your actions, such as when you open the door or start the car, to create a colourful driving atmosphere.
Depending on configuration and options, interior layouts range from fabric and faux-leather seats to Nappa leather high-back bucket seats. A driver-selectable head-up display and Dodge's Uconnect 5 system offer TomTom navigation, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and more.
There's also a host of standard driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane keeping assist, blind spot detection and fatigue driving detection.
Price and production
The Charger Daytona R/T and Scat Pack as 2025 models will debut as two-door models this summer (2024). The four-door model will arrive in the first quarter of 2025, going into production at the same time as the straight-six Charger Sixpack.
Pricing information has yet to be released, but given that the outgoing Charger R/T retails for around $45,000, we're guessing the new Daytona R/T will start well over $50,000.
The internal combustion engine version of the Charger
Details of the next-generation fuel-powered Dodge Charger have not yet been fully disclosed, but it is known that the vehicle will be unveiled in 2025 and will be based on the larger STLA platform.
Called the Charger Sixpack, the new model will be powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre Hurricane straight-six engine already used in Jeep and Ram vehicles, with 420-horsepower and 550-horsepower options available. As for the expected V-8 engine, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis made it clear that the new Charger will not include such an engine.
Even though the V-8 engine will no longer exist, Dodge continues to offer an internal combustion engine version of the Charger to satisfy the market's demand for a traditionally fuel-efficient vehicle.The Charger Sixpack H.O. serves as a top-of-the-line option for internal combustion engine models, with a 3.0-litre Hurricane straight-six engine that delivers up to 550 hp, while the Sixpack S.O. version offers a 420bhp option.
Tim Kuniskis emphasised that the Hurricane-equipped Charger Sixpack models will offer superior performance to the outgoing 5.7-litre and 6.4-litre HEMI engines, providing Dodge muscle car enthusiasts with a strong fuel-powered option. Like the electric Charger Daytona, the new fuel-powered Charger will come standard with all-wheel drive and is built on the larger STLA platform that is 20 percent stiffer.
While Dodge is focusing on the release of the electric Charger Daytona, there is still less information about other specifications, performance metrics or pricing for the fuel-powered Charger.
What is known is that the new car will be offered only with an eight-speed automatic transmission and is scheduled to be built at an assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario. Production of the electric version is expected to begin in mid-2024, with the fuel-powered version launching from the first quarter of 2025.
Additionally, with Dodge confirming that the new Charger will no longer be equipped with a V-8 engine, it marks an important step in the brand's quest to modernise and meet environmental regulations. However, this decision could have an impact on the loyal Dodge fan base that has long loved the Hemi engine.
During the Charger Daytona press conference, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis was asked about the Hemi V-8. Considering that Ford is now unapologetic about Mustangs still equipped with V-8 engines, coupled with the reduced demand for EVs and the potential rollback of government regulations, people also wondered if Dodge is also under pressure to incorporate the V-8 engine into the new Charger.
But Kuniskis was unequivocal on the topic.
‘We don't have a V-8 engine in our plans,’ Kuniskis told us. No strings attached, no hesitation. If the Hemi Charger returns in the future, it won't be anytime soon.
For now, the big question is whether Dodge buyers, and fans, will accept a Charger with a twin-turbocharged straight-six, the same supercharged engine that will power Ram 1500 trucks starting this year, and which, in Charger form, is capable of developing either 420 or 550 hp in high-output form.
That's not Hellcat power, but it trumps all naturally aspirated Hemi Chargers before it.
Summary
Despite the performance of the new Charger Sixpack's straight-six engine, it remains to be seen whether it will be recognised by fans of traditional muscle cars (muscle car).
The electric Charger Daytona almost has 700 horsepower and straight-line performance that matches the old Hellcat. But Dodge's hardcore fan base, those who have been enthusiastic about the Hemi for nearly 20 years, probably won't follow the brand's shift to a six-cylinder fuelie.
This group is highly unlikely to place an order for an electric Charger Daytona, which is ultimately not a big V8, no matter how much horsepower.
With the V8 out of the picture and no plans for a next-generation Challenger, Dodge's future as a muscle car (muscle car) brand could face some serious challenges.
So it's a question of whether the V8 made Dodge or Dodge made the V8 strong.
Senior Writer The quest for automotive knowledge began as soon as the earliest memories. Various sources information, even questionable ones, have been explored including video games, television, magazines, or even internet forums. Still stuck in that rabbit hole.
