Dodge Just Killed Its Charger EV

• Dodge has reportedly killed off its Charger Daytona EV Banshee program.
• This high-performance EV was supposed to be its halo muscle car that would upstage the gas-powered Hellcat.
• The casualty is the latest backtrack under the Stellantis umbrella.

The Dodge Charger Daytona didn’t exactly get a warm welcome to the muscle car scene. Apparently, pulling a big rumbling gas engine and stuffing a set of quiet electric motors in its place isn’t exactly a way to attract the same crowd of buyers—even if you give it fake exhaust sounds and the ability to “rev.”

Well, the Charger EV’s lackluster sales seem to have finally caught up with it. According to a new report by the Stellantis-focused news blog MoparInsiders, Dodge has decided to axe its flagship Banshee program, effectively putting an end to what could have been the world’s most rowdy electric muscle car. The report cited an unnamed “supplier source.”

Photo by: Dodge

Officially, Dodge has not shed light one way or the other on the Charger Banshee.

“Stellantis continues to reassess its product strategy to align with consumer demand. Our plan ensures we offer customers a range of vehicles with flexible powertrain options that best meet their needs,” The brand said in a statement to MoparInsiders. “With the great news announced in July that Stellantis is bringing back its iconic SRT performance division (Street and Racing Technology), it follows that we are also reviewing the plan for future SRT vehicles.”

The Banshee was set to be the halo performance EV for the brand. Dodge touted an 800-volt electrical system for serious power output and even faster charging times—as compared with the current Daytona’s 400-volt architecture—plus a unique multi-speed transmission. The automaker also promised that it would deliver better performance then the Hellcat, meaning that it would likely feature over 800 horsepower and a quarter mile time well into the 10-second range.

But all of that is for nothing if Dodge can’t sell the car to its main audience. Realistically, those buying the Charger EV likely aren’t cross-shopping for a Tesla or new Nissan Leaf. They want a car with noise (check), attitude (debatable) and a visceral connection to a big rumbling engine under the hood (this is where Dodge loses the plot). That’s not to say that the Charger Daytona isn’t a good car—it is—but the car faces some branding and identity problems that only really the Mustang Mach-E can relate to.

Those paying attention to Stellantis’ foray into electrification likely won’t be shocked by the news. Brands under the same corporate umbrella have struggled with EV sales. Fiat, Jeep, and Ram, for example, have all issued pullbacks that retrench their respective battery programs in favor of gasoline. Dodge postponed the base model Charger Daytona R/T, and it’s unclear if it will ever hit the market. 

It’s a bit unfortunate to see regardless. There aren’t many enthusiast-focused EVs on the market today, and you’ve got to give Dodge credit for at least trying to cater to an underserved performance market. However, if buyers aren’t putting their money on the line, it doesn’t make sense for Dodge to continue dumping cash into a dead-end. And at the end of the day, the Banshee may have had the name, but it never had the momentum.