2025 Dodge Charger Daytona EV

[OVERKILL]

I've read the platform was designed for ICE and EV. If true, it sounds like Stellantis was never 100% behind it.

BMW does the same thing, CLAR was EV/Hybrid/ICE and the same for their new platform. The platform being flexible isn't a bad thing, assuming it's properly executed.

 

[JeffKeryk]

BMW does the same thing, CLAR was EV/Hybrid/ICE and the same for their new platform. The platform being flexible isn't a bad thing, assuming it's properly executed.

Is the Neue Klasse a multi-drivetrain platform? I've heard yes and no. IMO, if you want the best, do not compromise, build a pure play product. I guess we'll see.

 

[loneryder]

I'm providing my own review in this thread, I've driven it, as detailed in the OP. Feel free to contrast my impressions with other reviews, or hell, go drive one yourself, see if it makes the bile creep up the back of your throat like you seem to think it will. I liked the BMW i4 M50 considerably more than any of the Tesla offerings, which is contrary to the position of most professional reviewers. Of course my experience here is also with the current highest spec version, which has more power and all the options, but I doubt that would have too much influence on the impressions, based on what I saw in the video.

I've driven, and reviewed for the board, numerous EV's, but I am not an EV guy, as my signature shows. I find my views are often contrary to those of folks that are career EV reviewer people; people who love Tesla's for the most part, which I don't. People that get excited about "vegan leather" and a tablet bolted to the dashboard and aren't bothered by a sea of plastic or a lack of a HUD, turn signals, or data in front of the driver.

---

Back to the Charger:

No, it's not a practical car. It's huge with relatively low amounts of usable space as I noted in the OP. It is however, a hell of a lot of fun to drive. Will that seduce people that are the traditional Challenger's audience to give it a chance? I think that's unlikely, but that seems to be the bet they are making with it.

I've already indicated who the target customer is. The question is whether those people can be converted to being EV customers, which I think is a foolish gamble and unlikely to be successful, but I welcome being wrong on that. So yes, there IS absolutely a target customer, but this is like Alfa Romeo going after Toyota customers, it's likely to fail.

There's a lot of people with more money than brains!

 

[hemioiler]

I've read the platform was designed for ICE and EV. If true, it sounds like Stellantis was never 100% behind it.

Stellantis (Tavares) was behind it, FCA (ie: the American divisions) never were.

 

[Brons2]

Not surprisingly, this car is still at the dealership, price right now is down considerably from sticker, $86K I think he told me? Took my two boys out for a ride in the red one that my buddy has been DD'ing, it has all the latest software updates which I think may explain the difference in how it drove compared to the white one this thread is based on.

It's nuts.

You give it a decent jab at 30km/h and the tires light up. It paws for traction at the front like the i4 M50 I drove did, but without the torque steer (which I mentioned earlier). It was VERY eager to just "GO", they seem to have modified the roll-in, as the amount of power it instantly gives you is actually shocking (as evidenced by it easily breaking traction while you are rolling) and how hard it hits you, throwing you back in the seat.

Range estimation still seems to be a crap shoot. I left with 328km of indicated range and 87% battery. I drove it probably 10km and arrived back at the dealership with 327km of indicated range and 87% battery

Super fun car, but still not sure I'd own one.

My Lightning is like that too, below 20MPH or so and especially a stop, you will notice the torque steer and if it's below that and you go all the way, you will get a chirp before the traction control calms things down.

An example scenario would be a left turn into a tight window, you only half way give it the beans at first but then when you are fully in the destination lane you give it all the beans, it's a bit of a wild ride!

 

[Brons2]

There's a lot of people with more money than brains!

Maybe applicable for the vehicle that Overkill test drove, but I got my Lightning cheaper than I could have gotten any gas crew cab. I looked.

 

[OVERKILL]

Is the Neue Klasse a multi-drivetrain platform? I've heard yes and no.

I'm of the understanding that yes, it is. Which makes sense, since BMW still plans on manufacturing hybrids and ICE vehicles.

IMO, if you want the best, do not compromise, build a pure play product. I guess we'll see.

If your only product is EV's, then making an EV-only platform is the default plan. On the other hand, if you are a conventional car company, who still has ICE and hybrids dominating the majority of your manufacturing, that becomes an additional expense: a bespoke platform for low volume products, the math becomes MUCH more difficult. Having driven the i4, I've got zero complaints about the CLAR platform being used as an EV, it's extremely competent and I expect Neue Klasse to be even better in that regard.

 

[loneryder]

Maybe applicable for the vehicle that Overkill test drove, but I got my Lightning cheaper than I could have gotten any gas crew cab. I looked.

Certainly not referring to you and folks like you.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Just an update. Feel free to add more info if you have it. Production of the EV version of the Dodge Charger has stopped. There were around 2000 made in the first quarter of 2025. This might make them instantly collectable. There are currently no plans for a 2026 EV version. It’s a complicated mess. Proposed tariffs have Stelantis in a wait and see mode. The next set point is Aug 1. If they never make another Dodge Charger EV, these things will show up at the car shows. They easily blow off 1969 Dodge Chargers with the 426 and 440 engines. All the grandpas can moan but that’s the way it is in the stop light crowd.

 

[hemioiler]

If they never make another Dodge Charger EV, these things will show up at the car shows. They easily blow off 1969 Dodge Chargers with the 426 and 440 engines. All the grandpas can moan but that’s the way it is in the stop light crowd.

Only for kids who have no soul. You can't just take one aspect of a car (0 to 60) and suddenly think it's the greatest car ever. That's like playing a single continuous "C major" chord for 4 minutes at 120 db and saying "well kids love loud music so this must be better because its super loud".

There is more going on to what makes a great car. EV guys will never understand this aspect I guess, and that's fine. Calling a dodge EV a "future collectable" is .... well, optimistic at best.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Only for kids who have no soul. You can't just take one aspect of a car (0 to 60) and suddenly think it's the greatest car ever. That's like playing a single continuous "C major" chord for 4 minutes at 120 db and saying "well kids love loud music so this must be better because its super loud".

There is more going on to what makes a great car. EV guys will never understand this aspect I guess, and that's fine. Calling a dodge EV a "future collectable" is .... well, optimistic at best.

It’s nice to be second.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Only for kids who have no soul. You can't just take one aspect of a car (0 to 60) and suddenly think it's the greatest car ever. That's like playing a single continuous "C major" chord for 4 minutes at 120 db and saying "well kids love loud music so this must be better because its super loud".

There is more going on to what makes a great car. EV guys will never understand this aspect I guess, and that's fine. Calling a dodge EV a "future collectable" is .... well, optimistic at best.

I have a 65 442, 68 Corvette Roadster 427 and a 24 M3P. I guess I just don't get it, huh? Not sure what it will take...
Past cars include a 66 GTO, 2 early FireChickens, 4 Vettes, lotsa pickups, especially old ones.

 

[Torrid]

Only for kids who have no soul. You can't just take one aspect of a car (0 to 60) and suddenly think it's the greatest car ever. That's like playing a single continuous "C major" chord for 4 minutes at 120 db and saying "well kids love loud music so this must be better because its super loud".

There is more going on to what makes a great car. EV guys will never understand this aspect I guess, and that's fine. Calling a dodge EV a "future collectable" is .... well, optimistic at best.

Ending production and making it rare usually works to make something collectible.

 

[hemioiler]

It’s nice to be second.

It's not a competition.

I have a 65 442, 68 Corvette Roadster 427 and a 24 M3P. I guess I just don't get it, huh? Not sure what it will take...
Past cars include a 66 GTO, 2 early FireChickens, 4 Vettes, lotsa pickups, especially old ones.

Exceptions to every rule.

Ending production and making it rare usually works to make something collectible.

The object has to be desired first. You can increase desire by having a desirable product and then limiting access, you can't make garbage desirable by limiting access to it. Not calling the dodge ev garbage, but the extremes help to underly the point.

This EV is a nice run about for a guy going back and forth to work; I'd buy one if the price is down 30k and had a charger at home and didn't need a truck. But nobody is going to garage these things and think they have something thats going to be highly sought after in the future. 10 years from now there could be way better battery/charging tech available and now suddenly you have what: a slow, outdated ev, with poor charging times, decreased capacity, limited parts etc.

The demon 170 is sought after. Lot of guys would buy that thing in a heartbeat if they could afford it. Limiting access increases this desire.

 

[JeffKeryk]

It's not a competition.


Exceptions to every rule.


The object has to be desired first. You can increase desire by having a desirable product and then limiting access, you can't make garbage desirable by limiting access to it. Not calling the dodge ev garbage, but the extremes help to underly the point.

This EV is a nice run about for a guy going back and forth to work; I'd buy one if the price is down 30k and had a charger at home and didn't need a truck. But nobody is going to garage these things and think they have something thats going to be highly sought after in the future. 10 years from now there could be way better battery/charging tech available and now suddenly you have what: a slow, outdated ev, with poor charging times, decreased capacity, limited parts etc.

The demon 170 is sought after. Lot of guys would buy that thing in a heartbeat if they could afford it. Limiting access increases this desire.

You seem to be making it a competition.

I'm not sure you get to make the rules.

My EV is a lot more than a nice runaround. It's amazing.

 

[Torrid]

The object has to be desired first. You can increase desire by having a desirable product and then limiting access, you can't make garbage desirable by limiting access to it. Not calling the dodge ev garbage, but the extremes help to underly the point.

This EV is a nice run about for a guy going back and forth to work; I'd buy one if the price is down 30k and had a charger at home and didn't need a truck. But nobody is going to garage these things and think they have something thats going to be highly sought after in the future. 10 years from now there could be way better battery/charging tech available and now suddenly you have what: a slow, outdated ev, with poor charging times, decreased capacity, limited parts etc.

The demon 170 is sought after. Lot of guys would buy that thing in a heartbeat if they could afford it. Limiting access increases this desire.

Yeah I get that, but there’s a lot of cars that weren’t appreciated in their time that ended up becoming collectible due to rarity. I’m not saying this car will be that, but it’s one way it could turn out just because it’s such an anomaly in Dodge’s lineup.

 

[hemioiler]

You seem to be making it a competition.

I'm not sure you get to make the rules.

My EV is a lot more than a nice runaround. It's amazing.

Yeah I get that, but there’s a lot of cars that weren’t appreciated in their time that ended up becoming collectible due to rarity. I’m not saying this car will be that, but it’s one way it could turn out just because it’s such an anomaly in Dodge’s lineup.

Not really worth arguing about guys. Forget I said anything.

 

[RBT]

Just an update. Feel free to add more info if you have it. Production of the EV version of the Dodge Charger has stopped. There were around 2000 made in the first quarter of 2025. This might make them instantly collectable. There are currently no plans for a 2026 EV version. It’s a complicated mess. Proposed tariffs have Stelantis in a wait and see mode. The next set point is Aug 1. If they never make another Dodge Charger EV, these things will show up at the car shows. They easily blow off 1969 Dodge Chargers with the 426 and 440 engines. All the grandpas can moan but that’s the way it is in the stop light crowd.

A friend owns a Chrysler dealer outside Philadelphia. They cannot give them away. The demographic who likes these cars wants something powered by gasoline. Shame because it’s a great car, but it is the wrong car for that demographic. Another example of where Tavares did not understand the U.S. consumer.

 

[hemioiler]

A friend owns a Chrysler dealer outside Philadelphia. They cannot give them away. The demographic who likes these cars wants something powered by gasoline. Shame because it’s a great car, but it is the wrong car for that demographic. Another example of where Tavares did not understand the U.S. consumer.

Name one Amercian brand that has more v8 muscle than FCA. They stuffed the hemi in literally everything from chrysler 300, aspen, dodge charger, challenger, magnum, durango, jeep grand cherokee, wagoneer, ram 1500, 2500... did I miss one?

Yeah, so then with all that glorious v8 history unmatched by any other brand, lets, in the space of one year, drop the hemi from everything and see what happens, just for fun... Bonus points for adding grade school sound effects, it'll absolutely sell like hotcakes I'm sure.

 

[OVERKILL]

Name one Amercian brand that has more v8 muscle than FCA. They stuffed the hemi in literally everything from chrysler 300, aspen, dodge charger, challenger, magnum, durango, jeep grand cherokee, wagoneer, ram 1500, 2500... did I miss one?

Yes, the 392 Wrangler, lol.

Yeah, so then with all that glorious v8 history unmatched by any other brand, lets, in the space of one year, drop the hemi from everything and see what happens, just for fun... Bonus points for adding grade school sound effects, it'll absolutely sell like hotcakes I'm sure.

Yeah, my dealer still has the three they ordered (they have sold the Wagoneer S though!). They are, objectively, a very neat, and fast, car, but as I said earlier in the thread, I don't think the people they thought would be interested in this, are interested in this:

We'll see whether this works out for them, I have my doubts. I think the target customer, which is the guy/girl who would have bought the gas Challenger, is also one who will be extremely hard to convert to an EV buyer. This seems like a oddly difficult obstacle to present oneself with when trying to wade into a market that's already challenging.