Dodge CEO, Tim Kuniskis, says that the next generation electric Dodge Charger Daytona could run the internal combustion Hurricane engine. The Hurricane is 6-cylinder twin-turbo that’s proving to be very, very potent. But don’t get too excited, because Kuniskis clarified that just because the Hurricane engine ‘could’ go in there… does not mean it’s in the plans. It just means that quite literally, it’s possible, from an engineering standpoint.
The Charger Daytona concept is built on the STLA Large platform…
And that platform is modular. Kuniskis said the EV floor & battery pack ‘could’ be removed & replaced with a new floor with a trans/drivetrain tunnel.
That’s called a backup plan & we love to see it. Even if it’s not the intention & not in the cards. Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, has had the courage stand up & express concerns over the global rush/frenzy to electrification. Making rash decisions under pressure often leads to less-than-ideal outcomes. Stellantis, Toyota, and Mazda seem to be approaching electrification cautiously (aka wisely). And if we’re cutting the crap, it looks like Dodge could theoretically be preparing for whichever way the next Presidential election goes. Motley Crue or Barry Manilow. It’s a shame that companies have to plan 2 entirely separate production paths for whether this country goes left or right. No one really wins with division like this (except the people who stand to profit from it). Yet here we are.
Either way, the Charger Daytona EV concept is exciting… as far as EVs go.
Not sure if ‘exciting’ is the right word, but at least it’s a new vision for an EV. Something better than another appliance crossover, and/or sanitized status symbol. Therefore it seems important that we as enthusiasts & consumers, at least TRY not to compare the EV Charger to the Hellcats too much. And we at least TRY to judge the concept of an EV muscle car on its own merit. Is it an uphill battle? Oh for sure. And the battle is: Can an EV capture (or surpass) the same hair-raising emotions we get from American muscle? So far the answer has been – NOPE. But you know what rhymes with NOPE? HOPE. Lol I can’t even say that with a straight face.