On Thursday, March 6, Stellantis arrived at NEMPA HQ with a duo of electrified products: The Charger and Wagoneer S, the manufacturer’s first two entries in an ever-expanding EV marketplace.
NEMPA welcomed Kelley Enright, Stellantis central division PR manager; Darren Jacobs, Dodge communications manager; Paul Tyll, director of Dodge brand muscle cars; and William Coughlin, senior brand manager for Jeep.
What is the Jeep Wagoneer S?
In essence, Jeep Wagoneer S takes the basic structure of the full-size, three-row Jeep Wagoneer and makes it fully electric. “it is our first global EV and our first full BEV in North America,” said William Coughlin. The Wagoneer S that Jeep had on display at NEMPA HQ was a Launch Edition, a no-options trim level that features 300 miles of range, 600hp, 617-lb.ft. of torque and a 3.4-second zero to 60 mph estimate. It’s also equipped with Radar Red leather upholstery, a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system and a standard, dual pane sunroof.
Jeep first announced the Wagoneer S in May of 2024, and the vehicle is currently available in dealers nationwide. The Launch Edition is the first trim level in the lineup, priced at $70,795. At press time, the Wagoneer S was still eligible for the full $7,500 buy or lease EV tax credit.
The Wagoneer S Limited is coming shortly at $5,000 less than the Launch Edition, with 500hp from its twin 250kW Electric Drive Modules (EDMs). The combination is good for a zero to 60 time “under four seconds,” according to Coughlin. However, shortly after launch, Jeep will offer an over-the-air update for the Limited that unlocks the full 600hp of the Launch Edition. “And you can do that anytime after purchase once we launch it,” he said.
The Wagoneer S Limited offers a bit more freedom of choice regarding options, where the Launch Edition comes loaded with everything Jeep can throw at it. The Launch Edition’s McIntosh audio system, the passenger touchscreen and the Head-Up Display are all optional on the Limited.
Coughlin also pointed out that the Wagoneer S offers access to the Free to Move charge program. “For the 2024 and 2025 model year, that includes a Level 2, 48 amp home wall charger or $600 of public charging credits that are good at stations like ChargePoint, Shell Recharge and EVgo,” he said. The Free to Move Charge app manages accounts with all of the major charging providers, opening access to over 130,000 charging stations around the country.
What is the Dodge Charger Daytona EV?
The Dodge Charger replaces both the outgoing Dodge Charger and the Dodge Challenger in a single product. The Charger is initially offered as an EV coupe only, but in the 2025 calendar year, the Dodge Charger will both be offered with a twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine and a four-door bodystyle that uses the exact same wheelbase, roof and body structure as the coupe, with shorter front doors that allow a set of rear doors for easier access to the rear seat.
In Scat Pack form, the all-electric Charger delivers up to 670 horsepower, with a zero to 60 mph estimated time of just 3.3 seconds, covering a quarter-mile in an “estimated” 11.5 seconds, though Paul Tyll mentioned that in short lead press event testing with journalists at the wheel, they observed 11.5 second runs over and over again throughout the day.
“It is the world’s quickest muscle car,” Tyll said. “That’s a really good claim. That’s what this car is about. We are creating muscle cars. This is Dodge. This is what we do.”
In addition to Charger Daytona Scat Pack, all-electric Charger models include 496-horsepower 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T.
One of the challenges for muscle car fans in New England is the fact that we face four months of winter. As recently as 2015, we saw 110 inches of snow. Even in a mild winter, driving can be treacherous. The previous generation Challenger and Charger were available with all-wheel drive, but only as an option and only in vehicles equipped with a six-cylinder engine.
All-wheel drive is a standard feature on all-new Dodge Charger models. “If you were selling a rear wheel drive muscle car, say like Dodge was, this wasn’t a great region for us in terms of sales,” said Tyll.
Like the Wagoneer S, the Charger uses dual EDMs that, depending on trim level, hover between 500 and 600hp. In a nod to its “Daytona” heritage, the Charger Daytona features a patent-pending “R-Wing” pass-through at the leading edge of the hood that not only provides the upright, flat-faced look of the ’68 Charger, but also allows the car to slip through the air and provide downforce on the front wheels.
Tyll noted that introducing the Charger with electric motors at launch was a risk, but after months of COVID-era remote meetings, the decision to do so boiled down to four central pillars. To be successful, the Charger had to:
- Look like a Dodge
- Feel like a Dodge
- Drive like a Dodge
- Sound like a Dodge
The sound represents the biggest challenge, since the Charger Daytona doesn’t have a V-8 singing under the hood. Dodge Charger Daytona models feature a patent-pending Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, delivering muscle car levels of sound intensity that set the Charger apart from ordinary BEVs. “The patented portion of that technology is actually the passive radiators that built into the enclosure which physically flex and move air,” said Tyll. “And that’s what gives it the super low deep bass.”
Tyll also took the crowd through some of the Charger’s entertaining features like a new 64-color Attitude Adjustment interior lighting setup that reacts to vehicle events and select driver inputs, the PowerShot feature, standard on Charger Daytona models, delivers an incremental 40 horsepower for 10 seconds when activated and new Race Options including Drift/Donut Mode and two unique Race Prep options.
He also previewed the future Charger lineup with two internal-combustion engine options including a 550-horsepower Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O. and 420-horsepower Charger SIXPACK S.O., both powered by a 3.0-liter Twin Turbo I-6 Hurricane engine.
Tyll notes that production of four-door Daytona Scat Pack and R/T models, gas-powered two-door Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O. and four-door Dodge Charger SIXPACK S.O. scheduled to start later this year.
Asked whether or not an electric Dodge Charger is a worthy progeny of the classic Chargers of the past, Tyll was direct and unambiguous: “You know what’s really fun? Blowing people off the line. I don’t care that it’s an EV.”
Look for more on the Charger Daytona and the Wagoneer S as our membership has a chance to experience these cars in real-world, New England driving conditions in 2025.
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