Dodge’s New Electric Charger Debuts On March 5—Here’s a Sneak Peek
Drivers can download extra horsepower for their Dodge Charger EVs over the air via “eStage kits.”
Dodge’s final ode to HEMI V8 power has come and gone in the batshit 1,025,-horsepower Challenger SRT Demon 170, the world’s most fastest muscle car. Now it’s time for the storied American automaker to transition its hellaciously powerful models to pure electrification.
In early 2024, Dodge posted a collage of photos showing a pre-production version of a two-door Dodge Charger EV, which notably breaks past two-door Challenger/four-door Charger body style naming conventions. The Charger EV won’t make it into customers’ garages until late 2024, but the full reveal date is coming much sooner on March 5.
Fortunately for the curious, Dodge has dribbled several core details about the next-gen Charger in the past few months, many of which have been compiled by Top Speed. There will be two trim based on 400-volt architecture classes to start: the Charger 340 and Charger 440, named for the amount of power produced in kilowatts.
In their base forms, the Charger 340 produces 440 horsepower and the Charger 440 produces 590 hp, but special “eStage kits” will allow owners to download more output over the air. A “DC Crystal Key” will be sent out upon placing an eStage order to unlock a maximum of 670 horsepower.
However, there’s also a third trim dubbed the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee in the works. This flagship model will be based on 800-volt architecture that accommodates more power, with unconfirmed estimates ranging from 750 hp to 900 hp.
Range for all three is unknown. Based on the fact that the Charger will ride on larger version of Stellantis’ new STLA platform, which is capable of supporting battery sizes ranging from 101-118 kWh, Top Speed predicts that versions with 590 horsepower or less could max out at 500 miles of range. If that figure comes to fruition, it would arguably be Charger EV’s most impressive performance spec, given that most EVs can’t break 400 miles on a single charge.
It goes without saying that the Dodge Charger EV will offer an entirely different experience than its ICE-powered predecessors provided. In an attempt to placate those resistant to electrification, the EVs will feature a Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust System that will emit a 126-decibel roar akin to a V8’s.
We’ll know more when the Dodge Charger EV is fully unveiled on March 5.
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