Okay, that's pretty decent news actually. Of course, me being the Dodge fanatic that I am, my first thoughts are of the Charger Daytona Scat Pack and the previous article about the launch control system and a few other things. While I'm not really an EV person for my own personal reasons, this definitely piques my interest a little bit. I already have a feeling this new Charger is going to be the most customizable & performance oriented EV on the road in the next few years and despite what some may think, this car is going to sell and it's going to sell pretty well, in my opinion. It may not be purchased by alot of traditionalists but yeah, it's going to move numbers. A three-speed gearbox will ultimately not only improve performance but also range, which is a big thing for EVs since they're slower to charge that an ICE vehicle and Charging stations aren't as abundant as gas stations. The biggest thing is bringing a more natural feel to EVs by having an actual mechanical gearbox. As it stands, Dodge has the Daytona Charger R/T and Scat Pack, and an upcoming Daytona SRT Charger Banshee. The Banshee is the trim package that is supposed to get a multi-speed transmission but this article and the previous article about Dodge getting the rolling launch control system makes me wonder what is really in store for the electric Mopar muscle cars coming down the line in an actually positive way. The Scat Pack can already out perform the standard Hellcat cars so with that being said, taking this same platform, adding an 800v system which not only produces more power but has an advantage when it comes to charging speeds, then adding a three-speed gearbox that not only boosts performance but also boosts range while adding that feeling back into the driving experience which can be enhanced by drive modes (i.e. SLAM mode), giving it a roll race option along with the other drive modes that it has, more power (potentially having a tri-motor setup), building upon the Daytona's electro-mechanical differential, along with building upon what the Daytona Scat pack already offers and then adding alot SRT baked into this vehicle, where does that actually leave us? I mean let's really think about it for a moment, right on the Dodge website, it explains the car has a lighter, stiffer chassis (even though we all know the EV is a genuine heavyweight car), with a low center of gravity thanks to the battery back and the motors. The car has a nearly balanced weight distribution front to back and brakes bigger than a dinner plate. Let's add to that some of the suspension and chassis technology and wisdoms learned from the Demon and the Demon 170 and maybe even a little bit from the Viper and now you start to see a bit of what this car could truly be. While many consider the Fratzonic chamber to be gimmicky and wrong, having an instrument that gives you the audible feedback that is familiar with a gasoline powered performance car makes a bit of sense when your barreling down the 1320, or flying around Laguna Seca, or just up and down your favorite backroad or stretch of highway, especially if it's tuned to blip or over rev with that V8-reminsicent soundtrack it produces. plus the system also gives a bit of resonance in the car along with a bit of vibration to simulate the feeling of an actual engine under the hood. Now I get it, this isn't everyone's cup of tea or shot of whiskey, but for an EV, this is pretty dang awesome. The other thing is, what is direct connection going to offer for these cars, outside of the Stage kits? These cars are all about style and performance so again that opens up the door for anything from hoods, spoilers, wheels, graphics, front lips, side splitters, under body pannels, diffusers, interior upgrades, suspension upgrades, brake caliper upgrades, etc. And as always, but wait, there's more. Dodge has the rumored Stealth SUV coming out on this platform which is geared to be a performance oriented SUV replacing the Durango. How much of this will trickle into that. Then there is the Wagoneer S which is constantly compared to the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Will there be an SRT-E Wagoneer S coming down the pipeline with this 800V system and all kinds of goodies? Time will Tell. This article also specifically mentions about this gearbox being versatile enough for off road performance. Jeep had the upcoming Recon on the STLA: Large platform, which could receive this 3-speed gearbox as well. You figure, anything on the STLA Large platform can receive some level of SRT treatment or Direct Connection treatment or some kind of Jeep performance off road treatment and anything on this platform can get the 800V system so there is major potential for these vehicles to stand out and be engaging and organic, which would set them apart from any mainstream EV out there. Not to mention, what does this do for the Ram 1500 REV or even the Ramcharger pickup trucks? How might this positively effect range and towing, especially on the Ramcharger. You already have the 3.6L range extender on board and then add this to the equation and now you have an EV pickup that checks off alot more boxes when it comes to performance like a Ram pickup truck should. Also, since EVs are being mandated to have sound, what happens when pretty much all Mopar vehicles have a variation of the Fratzonic chamber on them and 3-speed gearboxes? We now have EVs that look like a Dodge, SOUND like a Dodge and drive like a Dodge. Will this take the place of ICE vehicles, not at all. But it does open up the market for a wider range of buyers that should enhance the Mopar brands and make them more profitable. I think with this, plus the Hurricane-6 cars and hopefully soon Hurricane-6 hybrid & some real performance Hurricane-4 hybrid Mopars, we're truly going to see a world of performance we couldn't have imagined before.
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