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Charger Daytona R/T Faces Tesla Model Y — On The Drag Strip

Dodge's eMuscle Car Meets An Unexpected Rival and Falls Short

It was supposed to be a day of speed and excitement. A Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 — the electric rebirth of a legendary muscle car — lined up against a Tesla Model Y Performance at a local dragstrip. But instead of a clear victory for the Mopar machine, the results left many fans scratching their heads.

Charger Daytona R/T vs. Tesla Model Y Performance – 

Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 vs Tesla Model Y Performance. (Wheels).

On paper, the Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 brings some serious numbers: 496 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque. With the PowerShot feature engaged, it gets a temporary boost of 40 extra horses for ten seconds, making launches even more aggressive. But despite its modern tech, all-wheel-drive (AWD), and muscle car roots, the Charger couldn’t quite deliver.

The Tesla Model Y Performance, known more for its practicality than its performance, surprised everyone. It comes equipped with 455 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque, delivered through a dual-motor AWD setup just like the Charger Daytona. This gives it the ability to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.

A Disappointing Outcome for Dodge Fans – 

Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 vs Tesla Model Y Performance. (Wheels).

When the lights went green, the Tesla surged ahead. The Charger Daytona R/T fought hard but couldn’t close the gap. When the times came in, the Model Y Performance clocked a quarter-mile in 12.54 seconds @ 111.52 mph (179.48 km/h), while the Charger finished in 12.87 seconds with a trap speed of 111.84 mph (179.92 km/h).

This wasn’t the showing Dodge fans were hoping for. The Charger Daytona R/T’s sleek lines and historic nameplate bring back memories of high-powered V8s and screaming exhausts. But on this day, the new eMuscle car struggled to live up to that legacy.

Price and Weight Comparison – 

Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1. (Wheels).

The price difference between the two vehicles is striking, especially when factoring in the performance loss at the track. The 2025 Dodge Charger R/T Stage 1 carries a hefty base U.S. MSRP of $59,595, reflecting its premium electric muscle car status. This price point is significantly higher than the 2024 Tesla Model Y Performance, which comes in at $42,990. While the Tesla doesn’t carry the same muscle car heritage or aggressive styling, it offers strong performance at a considerably lower price.

Weight also plays a crucial role in the performance comparison. The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 tips the scales at 5,698 lbs (2,584 kg), which is heavy for a car trying to position itself as a high-performance machine. In comparison, the Tesla Model Y Performance weighs 4,416 lbs (2,002 kg), a significant 1,282 lbs (582 kg) lighter than the Charger. This difference in weight could be a factor in the Tesla’s quicker launch and overall track performance, making the weight-to-performance ratio a critical consideration in this showdown.

Factory Performance Numbers Comparison – 

Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 vs Tesla Model Y Performance. (Wheels).
Car Model Horsepower Torque (lb-ft) 0-60 mph Quarter-Mile Time Trap Speed Weight Base U.S. MSRP
2025 Dodge Charger R/T Stage 1 496 404 4.7 seconds 12.87 seconds 111.84 mph 5,698 lbs $59,595
2024 Tesla Model Y Performance 455 487 3.5 seconds 12.54 seconds 111.52 mph 4,416 lbs $42,990

Source: Wheels YouTube Channel

Robert S. Miller

Robert S. Miller is a diehard Mopar enthusiast who lives and breathes all that is Mopar. The Michigander is not only the Editor for MoparInsiders.com, 5thGenRams.com, and HDRams.com but an automotive photographer. He is an avid fan of offshore powerboat racing, which he travels the country to take part in.

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smaller and lighter

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It’s really a beautiful car. Too bad no one cars with improper propulsion.

I’ll get kinda excited when the Hurricane comes. I’ll buy when the V8 does. Until then probably no sale

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Are you kidding? You are act like you actually likethe ev charger. For an electric vehicle that doesn't even have self driving, what do you expect? You can even go to tk's garage or ocmotivator's youtube channel and they called it. Look, I HATE electric cars, but I would rather drive a tesla for the rest of my LIFE than drive something that is known for breaking in the first 10 miles of leaving the dealership. Don't believe me? Tk's garage says it all! The first youtuber who even owned one had his bricked after a simple car wash.

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Are you kidding? You are act like you actually likethe ev charger. For an electric vehicle that doesn't even have self driving, what do you expect? You can even go to tk's garage or ocmotivator's youtube channel and they called it. Look, I HATE electric cars, but I would rather drive a tesla for the rest of my LIFE than drive something that is known for breaking in the first 10 miles of leaving the dealership. Don't believe me? Tk's garage says it all! The first youtuber who even owned one had his bricked after a simple car wash.

My buddy had a early X... it spent more time on the Hauler then it did on the road.....

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The more I look at this race and look at the Tesla, I think the advantage went to the fact that the Tesla may have a more performance-oriented set of tires on it which may have helped give it the edge on the jump which resulted in the Tesla barely winning this match. The two cars ran a pretty much dead even run all the way down the track with the Tesla never getting away from the much heavier Charger. A win is a win but I can't sit here and clearly say the Tesla is the faster vehicle, when honestly they are pretty much evenly matched cars. I said in the comments of another article that the outcome of this race would have gone more in the Charger's favor once the lighter battery packs are a thing and also if Stellantis puts the 3-speed gearboxes in all of the Daytona models and not just the 800V Banshee. Someone above made a comment they'd rather drive a Tesla for the duration of their existence rather than the Charger because of it's current issues. While we all have our choices, please remember that Teslas were known for catching on fire when they first came out and that was for the first few years of their existence. Telsa also had issues with their autonomy along with issues in cold weather and a plethora of other things that they've worked on over the course of time so to condemn a first model year car is kind of silly because we already know the first years of anything are going to be trial and error. And to everyone out there waiting for the Hurricane cars to hit the streets, they have a few issues of their own so they're not going to be a complete saving grace. They burn up catalytic converters and have cooling system issues and a few other quirks of their own. The truth is all of these cars have their inherent issues but the fact is, these cars, even with their flaws are still competitive with what is on the market, just priced too high.
I'd say give the car like a year or two to really get all of the bugs worked out and for Stellantis to make the necessary adjustments with the car now that we have it in real time and I'm saying that for both the EV and the Six Pack Variants. The build quality on the car is already phenomenal, just need the tech and powertrain to match the looks

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