Here Is What We Know About The Next-Gen eMuscle Cars So Far!

Since the unveiling of the all-new Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept, the enthusiast base has had a ton of questions regarding the production muscle car. And although the SRT Banshee is just a conceptual vehicle, it does hint at the direction the production vehicle is headed.

Architecture –

Based on the new STLA Large architecture, the new Challenger and Charger should be very similar in dimensions to the current cars. We got a strong sense of this at the official unveiling, showing that there will be plenty of room for full-sized adults in the backseats.

Now, while the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept is a two-door, don’t expect that to make it into production. You can see from the side profile, that the car features a roof line destined to be a sedan. We do expect the overall shape of the Charger to make it to production, with a few tweaks here and there.

It will be highly unlikely that Dodge will bring the Charger to market with the two-row center console and four-passenger layout that the concept has. But we do believe that the hatchback design, will remain.

Powertrains – 

When it comes to powertrain though, that is where things get really interesting.

It has been no secret that Stellantis plans on replacing its current HEMI V8 passenger lineup with the two new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six engines. The new Hurricane internal combustion engines (ICEs) offer more horsepower and torque, with 15% fewer co2 emissions. The new engine architecture has been under development for a number of years and recently just made its debut in the high-output form in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

The move to twin-turbocharged inline-six engines has left HEMI fans disappointed that a brand that thrives on being America’s ‘muscle car’ brand is giving up on the V8. Especially when Ford recently showed off its all-new 2024 Ford Mustang lineup, complete with V8s, a standard 6-speed manual, and no all-wheel drive (AWD) or hybrid options.

Considering not everyone wants an electric vehicle (EV), given range anxiety, lack of infrastructure, and inconvenient charging times, a lot of people have been wondering if Dodge would offer a V8 engine with maybe a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Maybe we will be surprised by some other ICE offering in the later future to counter the Mustang’s lineup, but it does seem that Ford is targeting the Dodge enthusiast with exactly what they have come to expect from the brand. And if you consider that the brand will offer fully-electrified options, won’t it offset emissions standards from the rest of the Dodge lineup? Just food for thought.

Well anyways, there are quite a few who are excited to see the upcoming battery-electric (BEV) eMuscle cars arrive in showrooms. According to Dodge CEO, Tim Kuniskis, there will be up to nine different power levels available. Dodge will offer three different outputs from the factory, with an entry-level model that will be affordable.

Several internet sources, including a few of our own, have stated that an entry-level Challenger or Charger could have somewhere in the ballpark of 550 horsepower. That would be more than the ICE options and a significant jump over the current cars’ naturally-aspirated HEMI engines. And thanks to Stellantis’ EV Day 2021 presentation, we do know that the company will offer outputs ranging from 150 kW to 330 kW (201 to 443 horsepower) on its Electric Drive Module (EDM) #3 e-motors that will be offered on STLA Large architecture. That means, more than likely, the entry-level BEV offering will come standard with AWD.

We also expect to keep costs down, Dodge will more than likely offer the entry option with a 400-volt architecture. Something that would be on par with the Tesla Model 3.

Dodge’s sibling brand Maserati, recently showed off its all-electric GranTurismo Folgore grand-tourer with a total output of 750 horsepower. There is no doubt, that Dodge would offer something similar in power for its mid-range offerings, given the output of its e-motors and AWD offering. It would be a great compromise to today’s entry-level HELLCAT models. 

Considering the base 2023 Tesla Model S has a total output of 670 horsepower from dual e-motors, it doesn’t sound unrealistic.

But while we do know that the SRT Banshee Concept does feature AWD, Dodge has refrained from giving specific details about the Banshee’s powertrain. Now the name ‘Banshee’ actually isn’t dedicated to a specific model, but to the car’s 800-volt architecture. Maserati showed us a similar detail when it announced its 800-volt architecture would be called ‘Atlantis’. 

However, unlike the ‘Atlantis’ architecture, Dodge has yet to officially confirm if the Banshee will adopt a tri-motor layout. But we believe it will. In order to compete with vehicles like the Tesla Model S Plaid, which has an output of 1,020 horsepower tri-motor setup, Dodge would have to offer something very similar if not just a little more to edge out the Model S.

Multiple sources have placed that the Banshee could range anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 horsepower, given the output of the e-motors. But if we were smart, we would put our money on the 1,050 horsepower mark. Enough to edge out the Model S, and continue a new type of horsepower war into the next decade. 

Keep in mind, while Dodge hasn’t released any performance stats about the SRT Banshee, the Model S Plaid is capable of a 0 to 60 mph time in 1.99 seconds and a 1/4-mile time of 9.23 seconds @ 155 mph (both faster than the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon).

Unlike average BEVs on the market, Dodge’s eMuscle cars will feature a new “eRupt” multi-speed transmission with electro-mechanical shifting that delivers distinctive shift points. The electric Porsche Taycan is the closest thing, we can think of, that features similar technology.

In the Taycan, power to the front wheels is sent through a single-speed gearbox (8.05:1 gear ratio) and at the rear through a two-speed transmission and a limited-slip differential. The two-speed gearbox has a short planetary first gear (15.5:1) providing maximum acceleration to the Taycan, while a long-ratio second gear (8.05:1) delivers top-speed and better efficiency. It will be interesting to see how much different the Dodge system is from the Porsche’s.

The new eMuscle cars will also feature the new PowerShot push-to-pass feature as well. This feature is activated by the push of a button on the steering wheel, which adds a boost of horsepower for a brief amount of time. PowerShot checks the battery charge and temperature levels before performing the function, and if available, will activate a new PowerShot symbol in the I/P to provide real-time feedback to the driver.

Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust –

Now while the standard ICE cars will have at least twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six power, they will not sound like a HEMI V8. That includes the new silent BEV version of the muscle cars. The Charger Daytona SRT Concept showcased what Dodge has trademarked as its “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust”. The system pushes sound through an amplifier and tuning chamber located at the rear of the vehicle, letting those around the car and inside of it feel a vibration of what a traditional ICE car can produce as well as a distinctive noise.

Kuniskis has said that the sound “is not done yet”, and that the sound we heard on the concept was “very polarizing on purpose.” But he did say there is some heritage tie back to the car’s sound at idle, as the bass track is the sound of the firing order of a HEMI V8.

Needless, Dodge will be having a lot of fun with this new feature creating different sounds for customers to choose from. There was also a hint, that each variant will sound different from one another, just like today’s cars do pending on which engine option you choose.

Direct Connection Customization – 

Tim Kuniskis has mentioned that the Direct Connection brand was re-introduced with electrified customization in mind. Each of the three variants will offer at least three performance upgrades from the program as an aftermarket power boost. Meaning, that we could possibly see a 1,200 horsepower tri-motor Banshee after all. This would be all done via an over-the-air (OTA) update to the car’s software, meaning that the cars are capable of much more right off the showroom floor.

Thanks to Direct Connection, there will also be different suspension modes available via OTA. Things like a ‘slam mode’, drift mode, drag mode, and a donut mode will all be available to purchase, pending on the customer’s wants and needs. 

We are told that Direct Connection will be offering different sounding tracks for the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system for these eMuscle cars, again through OTA updates.

Kuniskis mentioned in a recent interview with Autoline After Hours, that another version of the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee will be shown off at the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, in Las Vegas next month. He stated that it will be there, that we will see a customization path for the future eMuscle cars and learn more about the Direct Connection program going forward.

So hopefully, next month, we will have even more information about the upcoming details of the next generation of muscle cars from Dodge.