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Charger Daytona's top electric trim reportedly axed
Dodge appears to have pulled the plug on its most ambitious electric muscle car project. Insiders say the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee, the halo EV that was billed to carry Dodge's performance heritage into electrification, has been shelved before production. That decision leaves the Charger Daytona family with just one confirmed trim: the Scat Pack — unless Dodge reintroduces the retired R/T down the line.
What the Banshee promised
The Banshee was conceived as a flagship electric muscle car. Engineering plans reportedly called for an 800-volt electrical architecture, dual- or tri-motor layouts, a two-speed transmission and a target around 1,000 horsepower. Dodge even planned to recreate the brand's distinct auditory personality with the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system to mimic the V8 roar — a controversial touch that divided purists and EV fans alike.
On paper the Banshee read like a modern Hellcat: extreme straight-line performance, aggressive Daytona styling and electrified torque delivery intended to deliver an old-school muscle-car experience in a zero-emission package.
Why it reportedly failed
Sources point to a mix of technical, financial and market reasons for the cancellation. Building a reliable, high-volume 800-volt EV platform is easier said than done. Key hurdles included:
- Limited supply of 800V-capable inverters, battery modules and high-performance cooling systems
- High unit cost for specialized components and the investment needed to scale production
- Engineering complexity in packaging, thermal management and reliability for a high-power EV
- Question marks over buyer demand for a prohibitively expensive electric muscle car in the U.S. market
Executives reportedly concluded that the cost to bring such advanced hardware into mass production at acceptable margins would be prohibitive. Those supply chain and price challenges, combined with a harder look at the likely customer base, made the business case shaky.
Stellantis' broader strategy shift
Dodge's parent company, Stellantis, has quietly adjusted its EV roadmap over the past year. Rather than push hard on ultra-high-performance EV architectures across all brands, the company is reportedly shifting resources toward hybrids and optimized internal combustion engines where sensible. That strategic pivot appears to have influenced which projects move forward and which get parked.
As a result, Dodge is now emphasizing the Charger Daytona Scat Pack, which uses the STLA Large platform with a more conventional 400-volt electrical system and a two-motor layout producing about 670 horsepower. The Scat Pack is being promoted as 'the most powerful muscle car' in Dodge marketing, though competitors like the Ford Mustang GTD and its 830-horsepower V8 present a different reality in the performance race.
Lineup changes and the fate of R/T
Reports also indicate the entry-level R/T trim — previously offered as a budget-friendly Charger Daytona EV — will be discontinued for 2026 due to weak sales and tariff-related cost pressures. Dodge had reportedly withdrawn the R/T earlier in the year with a promise to bring it back in 2026, but current signals suggest the Scat Pack may stand alone as the brand's sole EV offering in the near term.
Performance, emotion and brand identity
Dodge's renewed emphasis on internal combustion highlights a strategic balancing act. Muscle car buyers have long valued not only horsepower and straight-line speed, but also exhaust note, mechanical drama and vehicle character. In response, Stellantis has been reintroducing V8 options across its portfolio: the 6.2-liter HEMI will return to the 2026 Durango, and the 5.7-liter HEMI is already back in Ram and Jeep applications. Even the Charger may soon offer familiar combustion options again, including the 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six in some markets.
For fans who equate Dodge with raw, ear-splitting V8 power, the move away from a halo EV is welcome. For those intrigued by a high-performance electric Charger, it is a disappointment.
How the Banshee compared on paper
Highlights of the planned Banshee package included:
- 800-volt electrical architecture for faster discharge and charging potential
- Dual- or tri-motor configurations for instant torque and extreme performance
- Estimated 1,000 horsepower target for top-tier models
- Two-speed transmission to optimize acceleration and high-speed efficiency
- Fratzonic sound system to emulate classic V8 acoustics
By contrast, the Scat Pack offers a more conventional but cheaper-to-produce solution: roughly 670 hp, a 400-volt system and packaging that fits existing manufacturing capabilities.
What this means for the market
The cancellation underlines the wider challenge automakers face: marrying extreme performance with advanced EV hardware while keeping price and reliability in check. Battery and power electronics supply remain chokepoints for any manufacturer attempting to field 800V systems at scale.
If the reports are accurate, the Banshee will survive only in concept materials, press images and enthusiast speculation — an intriguing glimpse at what a halo electric muscle car might have been, but ultimately judged too costly or risky to build right now.
Looking ahead
Dodge's strategy seems to be finding a middle ground. The company will push performance where margins and demand align, while preserving the visceral qualities that define the brand. Expect Dodge to keep toggling between electrification and combustion as market conditions, regulations and technology costs evolve.
For now, the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee joins a growing list of high-profile EV concepts that never made it to the production line. Whether the idea of an ultra-high-performance electric Charger returns in a different form depends on future advances in components, a more robust supply chain for 800V systems and clearer consumer demand for premium electric muscle cars.
- Key takeaway: Dodge has reportedly canceled its halo Banshee EV due to technical complexity, cost and shifting Stellantis priorities, leaving the Scat Pack as the focal electric Charger for the near term.
Source: autoevolution
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