The majority of automakers today are making an all-in bet on an electrified future. Given the passing of time, this will most likely pay off as technology and infrastructure improves. But electrification does not seem to fit into the persona of every auto brand out there.

Dodge is one of those brands. Their whole brand identity today relies on loud V8 engines and insane power. Electric powertrains can deliver on the absurd power side of things, but it cannot bring the character that a good V8 brings. At least, we used to think that Dodge and electric vehicles were mutually exclusive of each other. But Dodge has proved the world wrong with the new Charger Daytona SRT Concept. This previews what will be Dodge’s first all-electric vehicle, and it successfully retains what makes Dodge so special.

A new era of muscle cars is upon us. This is all that you need to know about Dodge’s newest concept.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About The 2023 Dodge Charger And Challenger Lineup

The Dodge Charger Daytona Concept Is All About Making Electric Vehicles Brash And Brawny

Dodge-Charger-Daytona-SRT-Concept----top-Angle
Via Dodge

Electric cars have been cool for a while now, but none have ventured into the territory of being brash and brawny like most of Dodge’s current vehicles. The Charger Daytona changes that thanks to a lot of new features, and one unique feature is that it has a "real" exhaust system. Given that electric vehicles do not actually need an exhaust, this is just for sound. The system can tune and amplify the sound that the electric motors make and then send it out the back. Dodge even claims that it is as loud as a Hellcat. We will certainly take this over the purely artificial sound that some automakers are pumping through their electric cars’ speakers.

Dodge also does not make the Charger concept look like it compromises all style for the best aerodynamics as possible. This concept looks very similar to the original two-door Charger from the 1970s. This design in electric form is possible through some aerodynamic ingenuity in the front of the vehicle. Dodge calls it “the R-Wing” and allows air flow through the front and up the car more efficiently.

Related: Why Dodge Is Discontinuing Its Best-Selling Challenger And Charger Muscle Cars

The Charger Daytona SRT Concept Brings Next-Level Performance

Dodge Daytona SRT Concept with tail lights on
Dodge

Dodge has made ripples in the performance sector with the supercharged Hellcat engine, and now it promises great things with the Banshee trim, the top trim level available offering the best performance possible. No specific numbers are available yet, but the intention is for it to outperform the Hellcat powertrain in every aspect.

We can only hope that these performance specs of the Banshee blows the Hellcat out of the water. Other tricks that the Banshee has up its sleeve includes a mechanically shifting transmission and a system that gives you a temporary additional boost of power.

What The Charger Daytona SRT Concept Means For Dodge

Dodge-Charger-Daytona-SRT-Concept--Front-Angle
via Dodge

The Charger Daytona SRT Concept demonstrates a new era for Dodge. This is quite a transition given that Dodge has been essentially saved by the internal combustion V8 in the past decade. Before that, Dodge was essentially only known for its lineup of cheaply built vehicles that saturated rental car lots. When they reduced their lineup to solely focus on muscle-oriented vehicles, they gained a lot of traction quickly within the enthusiast community. The V8 was literally the saving grace for Dodge, and now it is officially going into retirement.

The real question remains is if the Charger Daytona will be able to keep the enthusiasm alive among the Dodge loyalists. Previously, we have thought that a bunch of batteries is a far cry from a fossil fuel burning internal combustion vehicle that screams a glorious exhaust note. If Dodge can pull this off, this pivot to electrified performance will be the feat of the century in the automotive industry.

With the unique technological features that Dodge is previewing on this concept, there is some reason to hope that they can actually retain the appealing aspects of an ICE muscle car in an all-electric car. There is a lot riding on this vehicle, as there is no going back to the V8 once it's gone. This is a make or break moment for Dodge and its future as the authority on muscle cars going forward.

Dodge has been the master of the V8 for quite some time now, but they have to learn some new tricks. Much to our surprise, it looks like they have this whole electric vehicle thing down. Now we need to see the production version come to fruition in the near future.