Meet the Dodge Charger Daytona R/T

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

So today I finally traded in my gas Challenger for an all new Dodge Charger Daytona EV! All electric fleet over here now!

The new generation Dodge Charger (the LB platform) will be sold in 2 and 4 door versions and gas (Six Pack) and electric (Daytona). The first to debut is the Daytona 2 door, which is exactly what I wanted. There are two trims available initially, the R/T and Scat Pack, both AWD on a 400V system. The batteries are the same, the motors are the same, and there is conflicting information on whether the inverters differ (ala Sport vs Base LDU) or if it is solely software limitations that separate the power levels. There is nicer suspension on the Scat Pack, and much wider tires. Both also have the "Power Shot" which is basically a push to pass feature that provides more power for 10 seconds.

Mine is an R/T with Plus Group and Blacktop Package, and all 2024s came with the "Stage 1 upgrade" which basically unlocks more power (truly a software limit). Plus group means some interior niceness and 275 wide tires (rather than 245). Blacktop basically means black wheels and badging.

I've had limited time to play with it (the purchase took 5 hours despite this being a car I special ordered), but here are my initial thoughts: The power delivery is smooth, though acceleration starts to drop off over 65 mph. Steering is fairly quick, and buttery smooth. Some reviewers said it has no feel, and while I can see where they are coming from, it isn't a drawback so far. We'll see how I feel when I go visit family in NY and hit some real twisty roads, or head out to the mountains to hit Tail of the Dragon. Regen tuning isn't perfect. There are 3 selectable levels via paddles on the wheel, and only the lowest comes on smooth. The upper two make the pedal a bit twitchy. Maybe I'll get a feel for it over time. There are settings galore, and I need to adjust things a bit more. The interior is a MASSIVE upgrade over previous Dodge products. It feels so much nicer and higher quality. There are still issues, where you'd naturally stabilize your hand to use the touch screen is also the row of climate buttons, so you can accidentally change the climate controls, which is annoying, but again something that can be learned around. The Fratzonic exhaust (a chambered sound system and vibration generators) is a fun gimmick when parked. It's pretty pleasant driving in Auto mode, and can be fun in Sport mode, but at steady speeds the drone in Sport is obnoxious. I have not yet turned it all the way off, but will probably do so on road trips. Overall, it does lend to the experience of the car. I hope Dodge/MOPAR will offer upgraded/changed sounds for it.

Overall, I think Dodge did what they needed to with this car. It is absolutely gorgeous. It drives like a fun car, it manages to somehow still feel like a muscle car, and to add in the good parts of driving an EV without feeling disconnected as in a Tesla. It's a clear step up in quality. From what I saw at the dealership, the more people get their hands on it and see it in person, the more they like it.

[barracuda816]

That is really nice! I love the colour, do you have the colour name/code?

Congrats on your new purchase, hope it is reliable and you have fun with it.

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

That is really nice! I love the colour, do you have the colour name/code?

Thank you! And yes, the color is called "After Dark". I special ordered so I could get this color with the options I wanted. It looks great in photos but ten times better in person. It's metallic and has a slight green tint in the sun, but looks nearly black in the shade.

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

If anyone would like to see my terrible rambling camera presence, mediocre camera work, and poor editing of a review of my Charger Daytona, here it is:

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

Also, in case anyone is wondering, I did promise myself and family members that I would not open up the drive units until I own the car outright. I DO plan to do some CAN logging soon, but have been dealing with a bunch of other things.

I also eventually want to lower it about an inch, but I haven't even been under it yet.