2.7 tons of electric muscle

It has been announced for a long time and finally it appears before your eyes. New Dodge Charger is once again attacking the Ford Mustang with a completely different strategy: this time it’s only targeting hot engines, Dodge gives priority to electricity. It is launching the large STLA platform from the Stellantis group, which will be used on large models from Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Designed primarily for electric vehicles, it also allows the car to have gasoline engines (this is the case on the Charger which next year will receive a 3.0-liter twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder “Six Pack”). available in two power levels, 420 and 550 horses).

Style-wise, this new Charger is inspired by the 1968 model known to fans of Bulllitt and Scare Me Sheriff. It is also big as it is more than five meters tall, with a much smaller silhouette than its big sister. The interior, on the other hand, is very modern with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster (16-inch optional) and a 12.3-inch central screen tablet, even if the overall atmosphere bears no relation to the car. family electricity. Note that it is available as a coupe but also as a sedan.

Up to 630 horse power to start

Under the hood, the Charger R/T claims 496 horsepower and the Daytona boosts power to 630 horsepower and even 670 horsepower for 15 seconds via Powershot mode. With two engines mounted on each axle (all-wheel drive), the Daytona goes from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 3.3 seconds and the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds. Not bad, but the Porsche Taycan and the other Tesla Model S do better in their modern versions. It must be said that with its 100.5 kWh batteries, the Charger weighs 2,648 kg in the Daytona version! Fortunately, it has a more advanced suspension (multi-link axles front and rear) and an optional Track package that adds big 406 mm Brembo brakes up front. There is also special battery management for running games.

Dodge is also planning a “Banshee” version with an 800-volt electrical system instead of 400 volts for the Charger R/T and Daytona. Its maximum power will exceed 800 horsepower and it will perform at the highest level of sports.

In terms of autonomy, Dodge advertises 510 km for the Charger R/T and 418 km for the Daytona according to the American approval cycle (which also shows high consumption due to the size of the battery), with the possibility of recovering 60% of the charge (from .20 to 80%) in 27 minutes through direct current terminals at 350 kW peak.

At the moment, it is not known if this new Dodge Charger will come to Europe. CO2 weight will in any case no longer be a problem here thanks to its electric offerings, even if its rejection of big fat Hemi V8s might put some people off. Let’s explain that Dodge has developed a system to produce a lot of noise (up to 126 decibels!) on electric versions but for now, the American manufacturer doesn’t let us hear it…