Is it even a muscle car if the engine doesn’t roar?
Last Wednesday, the 108-year-old American carmaker unveiled a new concept car, the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT. It’s a preview of what their beloved muscle car enthusiasts can expect as an all-electric performance model replacing the Challenger and Charger, which will both be discontinued after 2023.
“We think we’re going to bring a car to market that customers didn’t see coming,” said Tim Kuniskis, the company’s chief executive. “But they’re definitely going to hear this one coming.”
The event marks the beginning of Dodge’s arrival into the electric vehicle circuit, but it doesn’t mean that they’ve forgotten their muscle car roots.
“We can’t wake up in 2024 and tell everybody, ‘Hey, great news. We went electric,’” said Kuniskis, acknowledging that the company will need to get its longtime customers to buy into the benefits of EVs.
The Charger Daytona SRT, named after the car that first breached 200mph on the Nascar track in 1970, is outfitted with an exhaust tone that emulates the signature roar of a Dodge muscle car. It also comes with “electro-mechanical shifting,” which uses a pistol-grip shifter in the cabin. Like the exhaust, shifting gears isn’t really something that’s necessary for an EV, so it’s unsure if this means that the driver can actually shift gears, or if the shifting is just electronically simulated.
“Dodge is about muscle, attitude, and performance, and the brand carries that chip on its shoulder and into the BEV segment through a concept loaded with patents, innovations, and performance features that embody the electrified muscle of tomorrow,” added Kuniskis.
The carmaker is expected to go into EV production beginning in 2024. Stellantis NV (NYSE: STLA), its parent company, plans to invest $35 billion in its EV transition in the next few years, a decision driven in part by stricter environmental regulations in the US, Europe, and China.
The company — which also owns Chrysler, Jeep, and the luxury brand Alfa Romeo, among others — plans to convert half of its US sales to battery-powered models by 2030.
Stellantis last traded at $13.90 on the New York stock exchange.
Information for this briefing was found via Dodge and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
