It seemed a bit unlikely that one of the original iconic muscle cars has now been transformed into an electric vehicle.
As we discovered, that’s not a misnomer. We spent a week driving the 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona, the first muscle car to be rebadged as an EV. And trust us, this Charger lives up to its reputation and is still astonishingly quick. In fact, the Daytona is the fastest Charger ever, clocked at 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds.
For more traditionalists, this year Dodge has also introduced a gas-powered version of the Charger. The six-cylinder is called the Charger Sixpack and its starting price of about $55,100 and is $6,000 less than the EV model.
In its storied history, the Charger has always been a head turner due to its extreme performance and eye-fetching exterior. The current Daytona design has a big body and is longer and wider than typical vehicles, measuring 206 inches in length and 79.8 inches width.
The Charger arrived in 1966 when Dodge was looking for a vehicle to match the extremely popular Ford Mustang. It worked. Like the Mustang, the Charger became an icon, thanks to its distinct fastback design and its HEMI V8 engine that produced 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. It was also exclusive – Dodge produced only 468 units that first year.
Sales reached a high of 96,100 in 1968, but eventually the Charger lost its major appeal, hence the decision by Dodge to discontinue the muscle car for roughly a 20-year span (1987 to 2006). Bringing the Charger back has proved a solid decision borne out by sales that has exceeded its early years.
It’s yet to be determined if the addition of the Daytona will have an impact on the Charger’s overall sales. Some critics say its immense weight of 5,828 pounds – roughly a 1,000 pounds more than the gas-powwered Charger – is an issue. And the low range of 223 miles before a charge is required is another negative. The 1000.5 k-Wh battery can increase from 20 to 80 percent in approximately 27 minutes with a DC fast charger.
Offered as a coupe and a sedan, the Daytona has dual electric motors (front and rear) that deliver 670 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. It comes with standard all-wheel drive and gets 78 MPGe.
Unlike all other EVs, the Daytona breaks the mold – it’s not quiet, instead it is bold and boisterous. The Daytona road roar is done artificially in what Dodge calls the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system.
The system pushes the sound through an amplifier and tuning chamber, generating up to 126 decibels in mimicking its former V8 engine. While maintaining the Chargers’ muscle-car image, some would consider the engine growl a gimmick instead.
AT A GLANCE – 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona
- Performance: dual electric motors, 670 horsepower
- Mileage estimate: 78 MPGe
- Price estimate: $60,100 to $70,400
- Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles; Drivetrain: 5 years/60,000 miles; Roadside Assistance: 5 years/60,000; Corrosion: 5 years/unlimited; Battery: 8 years/100,000
The Charger Daytona has a 16-inch digital gauge cluster and a sizable 12.3-inch touchscreen.
For a heavy car, driving the Daytona is not a major chore because the steering and handling are responsive. We will add, one can feel the car’s weight around tight turns. The Daytona comes standard with a sport-tuned suspension and high-end brakes. It’s good to know a vehicle with this kind of speed and weight has responsive stopping power.
The Daytona is a large car that provides ample space in both front and back. It has a 16-inch digital gauge cluster and a sizable 12.3-inch touchscreen. Some folks might be disappointed by a lack of technology, but we like that it has more physical buttons and knobs than most EVs.
Another plus is the Daytona has 23 cubic feet behind the rear seat, larger than the old Charger’s 16 cubes. For added storage, the rear seats fold down to create more cargo space. And the Daytona also has a 1.5-cubic-foot front trunk (frunk).
We like the addition of an electric vehicle in the Charger lineup. Although it has some negative aspects, we applaud the overall makeup of the 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona.
Weidel on Wheels is featured regularly on www.tahoeskiworld.com. Auto writer Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jeffweidel.bsky.social
