SEMA 2022: Dodge Introduces Direct Connection eStage Upgrades For Its Future E-Muscle Cars!

The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept represents a giant step forward for the American performance brand’s road to an electrified future by offering a concept that reimagines what a muscle car can be.

While we all gone a first look at the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept at its unveiling in August at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, Dodge is showing us another take on its conceptual future ‘e-muscle’ car at the 2022 Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada this week.

“The SEMA Show is one of the great gatherings of the performance culture, and Dodge isn’t going to shy away as we develop the next generation of muscle car – one that just happens to be fully electric,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge CEO. “Technology moves forward and the customizers and tuners move right along with it. We’re demonstrating how old-school hot-rodding will thrive in an electrified muscle-car future.”

Stryking Good Looks – 

The first thing people are going to notice is the exterior color. Gone is the ‘Greys of Thunder’ exterior color from before, in favor of a beautiful familiar color: Stryker Red. Stryker Red was first used on the 2013 SRT Viper GTS Coupe, and now Dodge had brought back the color for the SRT Banshee. 

The color was chosen as a way for Dodge to help introduce its new Direct Connection eStage performance upgrades for its future e-muscle car lineup. In addition to the new exterior color, a new set of conceptual 18-inch lightweight carbon-fiber wheels from Direct Connection were also added. The wheels feature center locks with aluminum center sections and titanium bolts, and are wrapped with 305mm drag radials on all four corners.

More Power – 

Dodge will use a video display wall at SEMA, to show off a variety of Charger Daytona SRT colors, wheel designs, and performance configurations, illustrating the visual and performance customization that Dodge looks to bring to the electric car segment.

In total, 9 unique exterior colors, 9 different wheel combinations, and 9 different power levels will be displayed on the display.

In typical Dodge fashion, they aren’t ready to unveil the high-performance 800-volt Banshee outputs just yet. However, they are instead giving us our first look at the next-gen e-muscle car’s standard 400-volt system and their Direct Connection eStage output numbers for them.

From the factory, the next-gen 400-volt Dodge Charger and Challenger will feature two available outputs of power. Like its internal combustion engines (ICEs) of the past, Dodge is calling the entry-level output “340” due to its total output of 340 kW (455 horsepower). Its mid-range output cars will feature the “440” designation because of its 440 kW (590 horsepower) output from the factory. In addition to those numbers, Direct Connection will offer two additional performance eStage upgrades for both outputs.

• 340 Base – 340 kW or 455 horsepower
  • Direct Connection eStage 1 Upgrade – 370 kW or 495 horsepower
  • Direct Connection eStage 2 Upgrade – 400 kW or 535 horsepower
• 440 Base – 440 kW or 590 horsepower
  • Direct Connection eStage 1 Upgrade – 470 kW or 630 horsepower
  • Direct Connection eStage 2 Upgrade – 500 kW or 670 horsepower

In order to unlock the extra power, customers will be able to download and install an over-the-air (OTA) software update through their Dodge Power Broker-dealer. This can be done before delivery or throughout the life of the vehicle. Customers will also get a ‘crystal key’ that plugs into the dash to authenticate the upgrades.

Feedback From The People –

Dodge also informed us that it will be holding consumer clinics during the SEMA Show to get important feedback from fans and others in the industry, regarding its new patent-pending Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust – the world’s first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) exhaust system.

The chambered exhaust system received some positive, but a lot of negative press during the unveiling of the car in Pontiac. Dodge hopes that getting the opinion of those in the performance aftermarket world will help aid them to fine-tune and create a one-of-a-kind sound signature for the new e-muscle cars.

Those participating will be participants will be given an opportunity to evaluate and rank unique tuning versions of the Charger Daytona SRT Concept’s exhaust note.

Overall, the second iteration of the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee looks promising. It impresses us that Dodge continues to reach out to its customer base and the aftermarket in providing situations for its next-gen buyers. We are liking the fact that Dodge continues to innovate and is looking for other ways to allow customers to personalize their electric cars.

Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee eStage 2 Concept Image Gallery:

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