Admit It–Dodge Charger Daytona SRT EV Concept Is a Work of Art
‘Fratzonic’ Dodge Charger Daytona EV looks like a classic while packing big electric power.
Last night, Dodge introduced the world to its first battery electric vehicle and the next generation of the legendary Charger nameplate. In front of an invite-only crowd at the M1 Concourse road racing facility in Pontiac, Michigan, the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept BEV roared to life and made it clear that if they brand that brought us the Hellcat cars had to make an EV, they are going to do everything possible to make it more interesting than any other EV on the market.
While we don’t have any power or performance numbers, Dodge has stated that this Charger EV – which debuted in the top-of-the-line Banshee trim – will beat the current SRT Hellcat cars in every performance metric. The Hellcat Challenger is marketed as being able to run an 11.20 quarter mile and hit 199 miles per hour, so this concept car should be capable of 10-second quarter mile times and a top speed of more than 200 miles per hour. The brand went so far as to mention the fact that the original Charger Daytona from which this EV gets its naming inspiration was capable of going 200 miles per hour.
However, the debut of this Dodge Charger EV wasn’t really about performance, it was about showing that the brand can produce a battery electric vehicle that looks great and offers the same “screw you” attitude as the gas-powered vehicles today.
Few Drivetrain Details
The biggest questions on the new Dodge Charger Daytona EV Concept focus on things like power and performance. As mentioned above, Dodge has not offered any sort of power numbers on this car, nor have they said exactly how quick it will be.
What we do know is that the plan is for this electric Charger to be offered with two powertrain configurations – a 400 volt system and an 800 volt system. There will be three trim levels available at dealerships, all of which come standard with all-wheel-drive, and Direct Connection will offer two performance upgrade packages for each of those three trim lines – leading to a total of nine possible configurations. Those power upgrades will be added via software and hardware changes by Direct Connection/Power Broker dealerships.
The top-of-the-line model is the 800 volt Banshee model shown here, which Dodge compares to the Hellcat Redeye in terms of its place in the lineup. It has 21-inch center-lock wheels with 305 tires up front and 325s out back, gigantic Brembo brakes and loads of carbon fiber inside and out.
We also know that this car features the new Dodge PowerShot feature, which allows up to 15 seconds of peak power output. This system is controlled by a button on the steering wheel and, provided that the battery is charged properly, the driver can use this feature over and over, with short rest periods between uses.
Finally, the Charger Daytona SRT Concept has a collection of drive moves which include Drag, Track, Drift and Donut modes.
Fratzonic Exhaust
What makes the Dodge Charger powertrain so unique from other boring EVs is that it comes with an exhaust system. The Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system creates a unique tone, and while it acts like a gasoline engine’s exhaust in terms of idling and revving, it isn’t a speaker under the car that plays Hemi sounds. The team created a totally unique sound that is unlike anything I have ever heard, outside of the 1980s Charlie Sheen movie The Wraith.
The exhaust system in the new Charger reaches 126 decibels, which makes it just as loud as the Hellcat cars, but with its own, specific sound. Frankly, I think that the exhaust note is awesome, but those who want everything to sound like a blown Hemi may not enjoy it as much. In any case, Dodge has fixed the issue of EVs being quiet and subdued. The Dodge EV literally screams at everyone it passes.
Classic Dodge Charger Appearance
When the new Dodge Charger Daytona SRT EV Concept really shines brightest is in its exterior design. There are no two ways around the fact that every electric vehicle on sale today has the same basic shape in order to offer the best possible aerodynamics. For example, look at the Ford Mustang Mach E. That is what Ford came up with for their first electric vehicle – a copy of the Tesla Model X. For someone who drives a modern Challenger or Charger, it is hard to stomach the idea of going from a beautiful, chiseled exterior to the glob of gum that is most EVs.
Dodge has clearly fixed that issue, too.
At first glance, the new Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept looks a great deal like a futuristic 68-70 Charger, especially across the front end and along the sides. The illuminated grille is very similar to those classic models, with a front end that has a very upright look, but that seems counter-intuitive when trying to get the best air flow across the front end. However, when you get up close and look at the grille area, it is not an enclosed section like the classics. Instead, the patented R-Wing front fascia design allows air to flow through the grille, up over the sloping hood and across the greenhouse.
What Dodge has done here is use technology from the 1969 Charger Daytona and applied it to modern aerodynamics, creating a car that is 25% more aerodynamic than the current Charger Hellcat while looking like a classic up front.
Along the sides, Dodge has gone back to a two-door design with this new Charger, with a longer wheelbase than the current Challenger, leading to loads more interior space. That long wheelbase leads to an equally long, slippery roofline that flows into the big rear glass hatch. The silhouette is similar enough to the 68-70 models to make it clear that this car was inspired by the classics.
Finally, the rear end has the newest Dodge “race track taillight”, complete with a red glowing Fratzog logo in the middle.
High Tech Cabin
This concept is the premium SRT Banshee variant, so like the current premium SRT models, the interior is packed with high end amenities. The curved digital gauge cluster screen measures 16 inches, the infotainment screen is 12.3 inches and the head-up display area is 8 inches by 3 inches, leaving lots of space for vital information right at eye level.
As you move away from the tech-packed dashboard, you find a unique flat-bottom steering wheel with an array of controls, bolstering the cockpit-like feel from the driver’s seat. Speaking of the driver’s seat, all four seats are inspiring by lightweight racing seats, with carbon fiber construction and a design that keeps all four people squarely in place during stints of spirited driving. The rear seats fold flat to create a very large rear storage area, which is easily accessible through the big rear hatch.
Finally, the interior has incredible sculpting that starts in the dash and flows through the vehicle, along both the door panels and through the center console that runs the length of the cabin. This design has a sort of electric look to it, but more importantly, it creates a very high tech, stylish feel throughout the cabin.
While the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept shown here is purely a concept, the company has patented many of the unique features of this vehicle and brand boss Tim Kuniskis plans to see many aspects of this vehicle in the next generation Dodge Charger production models. If those production cars are anything like the concept, the electric future might not be so bad after all.
Photos: Patrick Rall
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