It’s not a great time to be developing EVs for America. Between flattening consumer demand and the repeal of EV-friendly policies, almost all automakers are reevaluating their plans. Already, several future models have been cancelled, and the headwinds facing EVs in America might’ve just resulted in another casualty. Earlier this week, Mopar Insiders reported that the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee might not see the light of day, and while revisions to Stellantis’ EV plan aren’t exactly unexpected, the potential death of a halo car is certainly noteworthy. As the report states:
According to internal whispers from supplier channels, the upcoming 800-volt Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee, a range-topping, all-electric halo car for Dodge’s EV strategy, has been axed.
We reached out to Stellantis for comment, and as you’d probably expect, the official statement is relatively vague. However, it does state that plans for future SRT models are also under review, which means that the future of the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee is uncertain.
Stellantis continues to reassess its product strategy to align with consumer demand. Our plan ensures we offer customers a range of vehicles with flexible powertrain options that best meet their needs. With the great news announced in July that Stellantis is bringing back its iconic SRT performance division (Street and Racing Technology), it follows that we are also reviewing the plan for future SRT vehicles.
By now, it’s not controversial to say that the initial Charger Daytona models are a bit disappointing. A Scat Pack without a burnout mode, a weird incident involving Edmunds’ unit accelerating on its own, all the backlash that came with America’s muscle car brand going electric, and the prospect of a $75,185 coupe that can be outrun by a $67,800 Hyundai crossover. However, our industry sources who’ve been correct about other Stellantis developments have turned up more details around the purported range-topping model, and they all add up to something promising.
For one, let’s start with power. It’s no secret that the hi-po electric Charger was slated to run an 800-volt architecture with substantially more power than the old supercharged Hellcat. While some initial estimates pegged the figure at north of 800, that’s now looking like a lowball figure. Allegedly the real slated output was well north of 1,000 horsepower, a figure strong enough to match or surpass what we’ve seen from the Tesla Model S Plaid, Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, and Lucid Air Sapphire. Considering both the Taycan Turbo GT and the Lucid Air Sapphire can run from zero-to-60 mph in less than two seconds, all signs point towards the top-shelf electric Charger having hypercar performance, likely for under $100,000.
Then there were the purported battery advancements. Promising significantly greater energy density and longevity, solid-state batteries have long been considered the silver bullet of the EV space, and Stellantis previously announced a partnership with Factorial to use cells with quasi-solid electrolytes. Sure, these aren’t true solid-state batteries, but the promised figures were serious. Energy density of 375 Wh/kg, and 18-minute fast charging from 15 to 90 percent in Stellantis’ proposed applications. Allegedly, these cells weren’t just supposed to come in the electric Charger SRT, but also in the now-canceled Ram battery electric pickup truck. It would’ve been an industry first, and yet, it looks like we’re going to have to wait.
So if the project has been cancelled, what went wrong, especially with the Charger Daytona SRT so late in development? Well, it’s no secret that sales of the regular Charger Daytona haven’t exactly been brisk. Dodge only managed to sell 4,299 of the things through the first half of the year, and the entry level R/T trim has been discontinued on account of slow sales. Right now, it seems like all hands are on deck for the six-cylinder version of the Charger, due to hit showrooms soon.
While a halo car goes a way to reviving the image of something that arrived with a messy landing, Dodge built its entire brand for the past few years on combustion-powered muscle. The people who buy Dodge cars know what they want, and a seriously quick EV probably isn’t it for most of them. Besides, even the old SRT Hellcat wasn’t a volume seller, because the Chargers you see everywhere are ones with the Pentastar V6. An entry level model puts butts in seats, and that seems to be what Dodge is working towards.
Will the Charger Daytona SRT ever drop? At this point, nothing’s certain. It’s possible that in a few years, Dodge will take the project off the shelf, iron out the calibration, and release it. At the same time, Stellantis is revising its strategy for V8s, and while the Charger would make a likely recipient, even the six-cylinder combustion-powered variant runs on a new electrical architecture that would likely require significant engineering work to control a V8. Either way, it sounds like what could’ve been might’ve been great.
Top graphic image: Dodge
Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.
They cannot make a standard fare passenger car for shite. They do not need a ‘halo’ car, they need a freaking life-preserver car.
I wonder how well it’d go over if they made a shrunk down version of this. Like the recent Avenger and Dart were to the LX Chargers, but, you know, good.
People are always talking about how “cars are dead, everyone wants SUVs”, but there is still a market for smaller, more economical cars. Cars that are nearly as large as full-size pickups, not so much. Everyone forgets that the new Charger is 525cm (207″) long, 203cm (80″) wide, and sits on a 307cm (121″) wheelbase. It has the same width and wheelbase as a 1971-1976 Cadillac de Ville (though it is a bit shorter overall).
I like your idea
I kind of like those fancy wheels on the Banshee.
Of course, the last thing I’m in favor of is more ultra-fast EVs and would prefer instead that they revise the Charger Daytona to make it better and cheaper. Address all the vociferous complaints from reviewers/owners, and decontent it enough to make it meaningfully cheaper to buy. Reduced acceleration is fine, as is some reduced range (yes, I know less speed doesn’t save much $) and offer a version of it that’s just a decent looking, mildly sporty, two-door CAR that just happens to be an EV for Crissakes!
Never going to happen I know, for a variety of reasons. Heaven forbid Dodge sell a whole bunch of decent, modern cars of any kind, let alone EVs.
For Dodge:
Sell a whole bunch,
Decent,
Modern,
Any kind of EV
Pick only 1
“the Chargers you see everywhere are ones with the Pentastar V6”
Exactly.
They need to introduce some affordable versions… like one with the regular old Pentastar V6 or a non-turbo/affordable version of the new Inline 6.
Given the cost, the Charger Daytona was never gonna be a volume seller. It’s a high priced, low volume trim. I test drove one and I liked it a lot overall.
Is it the best in class in terms of specs? No… but it’s still plenty good. And I love the style. And it’s still waaaay faster than anyone needs.
Keep the electric version around as the top end version and figure out how to improve that and also reduce the costs associated with the electric powertrain
And eventually, bring out a cheaper electric version that is RWD.
Or drop in the V6 hybrid ‘Ramcharger’ plug in hybrid powertrain that is coming out for the Ram pickup trucks.
Oh and bring back the Dodge Magnum wagon based on the new Charger.
And I have an idea of what they can use that Daytona Banshee powertrain on… an all new top-of-the-line Maserati… either as a 4 door called the Royale Gransport or as a 2 door called the Merak or Mistral.
Yeah, the Hurricane ones aren’t going to set the world on fire in terms of volume numbers either, leaked details show the MSRP staring at $57,000, that’s a 67% price jump from one model year to the next on the entry level version. The market is not going to support that, not with a Dodge badge on it, anyway
I just can’t get over the cognitive dissonance of a statement like “Stellantis halo car”.
Given that they have the Maserati brand, I don’t it’s all that crazy. But something with the level of performance being discussed in the Daytona Banshee? I’d start with putting that in a new top-of-the-line ultra-luxury/ultra-performance Maserati first.
Then as they refine the tech and figure out ways to take the cost out, have it trickle down to brands like Dodge and Chrysler.
Is it though? The Viper was a legit halo car for Chrysler Corp for 2 decades. And it was badass and sorely missed.
Good to hear, I don’t wanna buy a Dodge Charger/Challenger without a V8
Why don’t they just put a new body on it and call it something else? That’s all the problem is, ignoring the quality issues, people are mad it’s called Charger and doesn’t have a V8. Don’t call it a Charger. Don’t make it look like a Charger. Who said Charger buyers wanted an EV anyways?
Also if they want to actually sell any that new body should have more than 2 doors.
But they can’t sit on a name like Charger and not use it for an EV.
I can’t disagree there. But also plays on the achilles heal of EVs. They need a charger. No one likes the cold reality the battery of whatever device you are using is dead. My kids have started stealing my phone charger for their tablets and it’s so god damn annoying. I can only imagine how annoying it is to look for a charger for a car when you need it most. Yes, one can get by 99% of the time with a home charger, but that 1% of the time is going to sting really bad.
Good phone chargers are cheap. Buy a few more and put names on them.
See, that’s the problem right there. People have said several times that “Charger” is the perfect name for an EV… except… why? It reminds you of the worst part about owning one. I really don’t see that as positive marketing.
Yup. I agree 100%
Apparently in California there’s now more EV chargers than gas pumps, which should make them easier to find.
Although if you run out on the side of the road, you can’t walk to a fuel station and come back with a jug full of electrons.
I think the world is ready for an EV Dodge Aries!
Talbot’s ghost is peeking over the gravestone at the prospect of a new Dodge Omni.
While the anti-EV’er were so busy telling us that there isn’t enough electricity for EV’s and the GOP were putting in as many blocks as possible to stop the growth of charging stations, the Bitcoin and AI companies took massive amounts of power off the grid for their own use, causing a real shortage and huge power price increases. Corporations are so afraid to stand up to the bullying from the administration and instead are protecting their C suite lifestyles and doing what they are told.
Its unfortunate that the ‘merica first maga’s are actively cutting off progress of science and medicine, attacking education and ensuring that we will be falling even further behind. China is rapidly overtaking the EV world and our brightest are being lured away by the EU with funding. China pushed Germany off the top ten list of most innovative nations and is slowly moving up.
If you’re American there is only one true solution (aside from a Luigi Mangionne-style incident)… and that is when the next election rolls around, vote for the candidate that opposes Trump with the greatest chance of winning.
And do not vote for any Republican unless it’s a Republican who spoke out against Trump like Adam Kinzinger.
The only way to disinfect US politics from the MAGA/Trump disease is if their support falls off a cliff.
The midterms are coming next year.
Don’t disagree with any of this, but the car in question here is an unabashed turd and if it’s an example of what Stellantis is capable of in the EV space, then it’s better for all of us if they just throw in the towel.
Lord, please just give us those wheels…..so hot
My guess is we see a 2.0T powered base model, and eventually a Hemi V8 halo version.
That’s gonna be a lonely-looking powerplant under that hood
It won’t be lonely, the service tech can fit in there with it.
Back to the future where engines swam in engine bays.
Shit, I’ll take the extra space. One could actually replace things. Just because there is space does not mean it needs to be filled.
So are they just going to drop the EV completely from these and just go back to ICE? Wouldn’t be shocked if they bring back the hemi in these also. I question why the they even stopped the previous gen of challenger and charger those still seemed to be selling decent.
Maybe the same reason for the Journey/Grand Caravan? Emissions and safety standards I believe did them both in.
The Dodge Daytona Vanishee.
Stellantis products are terribly engineered and built. Canceling a product is as close to a win as they can get.
The only way to win is not play the game. So yeah I’d call this a win.
FCA/Stellantis has been playing that game for awhile, but mainly by canceling things that are selling and replacing them with nothing
And yet, Dodge continues to still sell the Hornet. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve seen one in the flesh driving on an actual honest-to-goodness road.
Remember though, the Hornet is actually the Tonale. Its a rebadged Alfa, not the other way around. So total costs for Dodge should be quite low, since Alfa bore so much of the development internally.
Lol. That Alfa model name always makes me chuckle. Toe Nail.
I see a red one daily. Also, it’s likely there won’t be a 2026 for the Hornet.
It is probably for the best. The redneck demographic these cars were aimed at have been politically brainwashed to hate on electrons, so sales for this vehicle would probably have been super low.
The bigger issue is if the knowledge they gained by designing and engineering this vehicle is now lost, or can they leverage that knowledge in the years to come to develop future EVs when the political climate shifts. Also Dodge it just one division of the massive Stellantis group – so is the knowledge gained developing this vehicle going to end up being used in some future Maserati EV? Could be interesting.
They do need to keep that mass in-check though. Personally I think that was the single biggest problem with this car. Too big and too heavy. Oh, and the endless quality problems known to affect Stellantis products.
I’m certain, knowing Stellantis, that they designed all of this in a vacuum without input from any other group (insisting that they know better*) and, when this project is cancelled, all lessons learnt will be burnt in a bonfire along with a pile of books that offend the average RAM buyer.
*Especially in the face of the French brands having quite a wide range of popular models with electric variants.
Sounds like every large corporation. Either that, or they fire the team that developed this and then REALLY lose any knowledge that was gained.
I can only assume this means an AWD Hellcat Charger is coming instead
Eventually (hopefully) those who come to power will continue the desire for an alternatively fueled America going into the middle of the 21st century. I’m a big fan of EV’s and the automakers who are building competent and competitive platforms will be able to weather the storm of the “pushback” from the current administration.
Were the goals of “All EV’s Only by 2035” a bit of a pipe dream? Sure, we can argue that for as much as the day is long. The thing is, EV owners are enjoying their ability to have a fully fueled vehicle every day. They are seeing the benefits of lower maintenance costs, instant torque, and not lose any of their current abilities that an ICE powered vehicle can provide.
Ford/GM/Hyundai/VW/etc. are companies that are splitting the tight rope of ICE and EV development in a positive way. We see these companies investing in new ICE platforms, but they are almost entirely just extension of current designs to help save on costs. They are also developing and increasing their battery and EV technology to give those customers better options and be ready for when the “Green Wave” comes around the bend.
Stellantis, for all their worth, has failed to do either. The Hurricane, while being a pretty cool engine, is a bit of a head scratcher for me in the 2020’s. Developing an all new, I6TT engine not based on any former architecture? If you wanted a Turbo 6, why not just Turbo the Pentastar? Make it a Hot V and save on some development costs. Continue Hemi development so it can be compliant for CARB states for the next few years, right?
Then Stellantis haphazardly develops a new set of “shared platforms” that mean developing a chassis that can handle both EV and ICE requirements and stretch thin engineering teams to make a competent EV platform. They slap together some batteries, motors, and half finished code into a cool body with an electronic beatbox and say “Here’s the new Charger!” expecting us to lay down at their feet and praise them for it. They totally missed their buying audience, and somehow expected us to be in love with a Dodge EV that’s beaten by competitors above AND below it’s class. All the while we’re subjected to their build quality similar to a late 80’s Lada.
Now they cancel the only interesting model of the lineup, the car they should have launched with to build excitement (and share the 800V architecture across the board) and any buzz on the EV Charger. They either designed this thing to fail from the start, or they had European Engineers only and told them to gauge the US market by doing the opposite of Social Media, Allpar, and every local clubs opinions and thoughts on the Dodge brand. I mean seriously, how can a giant corporation fuck up this bad?
I do think there was some form of self sabotage. I’m not sure where it came from. Maybe it was just willful ignorance/sticking their fingers in their ears and going I CAN’T HEAR YOU! Maybe the American parts of the company let the MAGA brainrot take hold a little too hard (I mean, look at the people that are in charge, they might as well be Trump cabinet picks), and intentionally ruined aspects of the engineering on the EVs and Hurricane so they could say they failed and force V8s back into everything. Who knows.
But I absolutely believe that this product was intentionally or semi intentionally ruined in one way or another. I just have no other explanation for how they could fuck it up so badly.
The current EV platforms and Hurricane were developed under Tavares, at his direction. I’m not confident he is very MAGA. Nor am I sure how Tim Kuniskis and others currently in leadership (multiple of whom seemingly left Stellantis because they COULDN’T do what they wanted under Tavares) are responsible for “sabotaging” something done explicitly at the CEOs direction.
I wouldn’t put it past layers of Stellantis wanting things to intentionally fail in order to lay blame for other woes at Tavares’ feet.
Yeah, I think Tavares was just so bad that it looks like sabotage.
I’m inclined to believe this only because the launch was so bad. Then again, I’d like to believe that Stellantis had the best intentions and worse execution we’ve ever seen. The latter seems more believable, but how can it be THIS bad?
I place so much of this at the feet of Tavares. He was interested only in CREATING Stellantis, not in creating thriving brands inside of Stellantis. He’s only been out for a year now, and so much of what is going on inside these brands was at his direction. These cars were already years into their development as they stand when Tavares left, so I do not place any blame on current leadership, yet. The path they were on would not have lead to success. So I don’t blame them for retreating to what has been working (V8s etc). I can only hope that they are planning to take this as an opportunity to take a breath, reorient, and dive back in to how they thrive tomorrow. Even I, a devout fan of large V8s, a person cheered when Hellcat drives by, do not believe that the V8s will carry them THAT far. Re-installing them is a genius business move today, but it will be an anchor in a few more years I’m afraid.
That’s my biggest problem, they swung for the fences so bad they are forced to bunt to get on base. You might get one or two guys on with that, but you’re not winning a game that way. The V8 is a bunt, a stopgap to keep cash flowing and people interested.
As I’ve said this current twist of regulations is going to be seriously harmful to “Chrysler” in the long run. Sure in the short term their bottom line is getting a big boost thanks to not having to purchase credits and pay fines. But I expect them to piss that money away rather than invest in the future and be caught with their pants down, again, once the next administration is in power.
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t the Hurricane I6 somewhat related to the GME 2.0T I4 found in the Dodge Hornet? Something like I4+2 =I6. AFAIK the Pentastar never had the reliability it really should’ve had, and almost every brand/vehicle Stellantis makes that would require a 3.0T would benefit from an I6’s better NVH and prestige while also already wanting the longer hoods and RWD packaging that it entails over a V6. It also makes sense in the context that they were trying to push Jeep upmarket with the Wagoneer.
Alfa and Maserati might still want a V6 instead, but they also seem to be inclined to make their own engine no matter what or get a Ferrari hand-me-down. Updating the HEMIs to meet emissions sounds like a logical choice but they might be starting to hit the limits.
Hurricane I6 started development in 2013. 20.13. As a response to the EcoBoost… Good god. They also proudly claim it only shared 5% parts with the GME I4. What a bunch of incompetent dummies over there.
I can see why they went with the I6, but I can also see making the Pentastar a better option as well. Considering it took 9 years to make the I6, that time feels wasted? I don’t know, just seems odd to me.
We already see Hemi engines not being sold in CARB states, only a matter of time until they can’t sell them without a massive investment in updating them. Something Ford and GM figured out a few years ago.
Oh wow. Bragging about not sharing parts… I wish I was really surprised.
The turbo Pentastar would probably turn out to be something like the 3.0TT Nissan VR engine which is a turboed and debored VQ. People don’t seem to be that enthused about it compared to the VQ engine for whatever reason.
They must be really banking on the administration killing off CARB.
I think the new Nissan engine is not that well received because it’s expected of Nissan, they’ve been making TTV6’s since forever. If Stellantis did it with the Pentastar? That would be worth talking about.
After a quick search, looks like the Charger Daytona length, width, and wheelbase are about the same as the Pacifica (which is insane). Maybe they can use that sunk-cost R&D and tooling on the skateboard to create some awesome EV minivans! Maybe there’s enough room to fit a range extender in there too.
Even more insane when you consider the Charger Daytona is more than a thousand pounds heavier than the Pacifica.
It’s basically 1,000 lbs heavier than my Challenger!
Make the “Sport” model minivan actually mean something.
You may be onto something. Nobody’s made a true electric minivan. The Buzz doesn’t count because it’s a retro cash grab. Having an electric AWD Pacifica would be perfect. Make it a straight line monster and people would buy it. Plus no stigma from a hallowed nameplate. People are spending $50k plus on minivans. So it would even be kind of competitive on price.
This is where I get very, very confused with the Stellantis plan (or lack thereof).
Did they seriously develop this platform for the sake of selling *checks notes* a coupe and a sedan for a single brand? They have to have more plans to take advantage of those R&D expenses… right? Right???
All that money to attempt to sell wildly expensive EV muscle cars to people who for the most part, refuse to consider such a thing. It would make far more sense if by the end of the year we were seeing an EV minivan and an EV 3-row SUV to go along with this. Instead it seems like the entire Charger program might be DOA.