Can a Muscle Car Be Electric?

The Muscle Car is a flavor of America, a sedan coupe body with a huge V8… but does it work as an electric?

Dodge is opening a new era of Muscle Cars by announcing today the worldwide launch of the first and only electric muscle car in the world and the first multi-energy muscle car of the brand, the all-new Dodge Charger.

The next-generation Dodge Charger electrifies a legend. The fully electric Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack 2024 develops 670 horsepower, goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, and covers a quarter mile in about 11.5 seconds. Electrified models also include the Dodge Charger Daytona R/T 2024 with 496 horsepower.

Spirit, are you there?

On paper, it’s sporty and powerful, and the design pays a beautiful tribute to the original. But what about the Spirit of the Muscle Car?

The first outrage: the all-new Dodge Charger is equipped with a standard all-wheel drive system for all models. An abomination, because the soul of an American sports car is rear-wheel drive only! It’s about managing the insane power and torque with only the right foot! In short, it’s a disastrous, even dangerous road behavior, but so much fun! All-wheel drive offers safety, efficiency, but without soul—more in line with current times. Moreover, the 400 V powertrain provides the performance of a supercharged V8 with zero exhaust emissions and instant torque response. Goodbye delayed turbo kick, it’s the dream of every engine builder, in short.

The battery offers an installed capacity of 100.5 kWh and a maximum discharge rate of 550 kW, specially designed to maximize acceleration by allowing the motor to draw the highest power the battery can produce over 400 meters, equivalent to a Drag Race length. This is also effective for a few seconds in “Donut” Mode. Afterwards, the tires cool down, so no need for all that horsepower.

This model becomes the « clean » sports showcase of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan. Honestly, it has all the ingredients of a Muscle Car, probably more than what a gasoline car could offer. The only thing missing is the sound, but while electric growling will never replace the thunderous roar, we’ll have to get used to it…

First road test judgment in the first quarter of 2025 when the first units of the new Dodge Charger leave the American factory in Windsor, Ontario.