![Dodge Charger Daytona EV revs up Chicago Drives Electric [part 2]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/dode_EV_MAIN1.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Dodge Charger Daytona EV revs up Chicago Drives Electric [part 2]
One of the most anticipated new EVs made its debut on the streets of Chicago this morning as Dodge brand CEO Matt McAlear rev’ed onto the stage in a pre-production example of the 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona EV Scat Pack Stage 2.
Before we get too far, I want to set your expectations low — I didn’t get to drive the Charger Daytona EV. None of the press in attendance for Chicago’s addition to national Drive Electric Week did, in fact, because the low-slung silver stunner was Dodge CEO Matt McAlear’s personal DD, we were told, and he had to, “get it back to Detroit in one piece.”
Despite that, we were able to crawl all over the new-age electric Daytona while McAlear gave us a presentation and some Q&A time, and I have to say that the fit and finish of the car — even in pre-production spec — seemed a step or two above that of the last Mopar coupe (a 2011 Challenger in “Kowalski” white) that I spent any real time in.
I also have to say, with complete objectivity, that the Dodge Charger Daytona EV’s Fratzonic ‘Exhaust’ did not elicit the reactions I expected.
“That’s stupid,” said the man to my right, a former Ford electrical engineer who worked on the Maverick and Mach-E teams. “But it brings a smile to my face.” McAlear put the Fratzonic into “drag mode,” and rev’ed it again. “That’s — I don’t want to like it. But I love it.”
On my left, a smart, successful, attractive woman couldn’t hold back her laughter. “It’s a guy thing, for sure.”
My own notes (hilariously) read, “You can set the exhaust volume to 11 so everyone on your block will know the special boy has a new car.”
Even so, I did catch myself smiling at the vaguely PS2-ish sound quality. I have fond memories of playing GranTurismo in the USAF Tech School dorms, and the Dodge sounded every bit like that game’s digitally recreated big block V8s. I won’t even post my video of the car (shot on an iPhone 15), because the online videos simply just don’t do it justice.
Fake exhaust, real car
As Matt McAlear spoke disparagingly about the “value-driven” Dodge brand of years past that sold Neons and Caravans and Journeys for $19,995, he waxed poetic about Dodge and the brotherhood of muscle, invoking scat packs, Hellcats, and Demons, he said that Dodge was OK with being “that crazy cousin that you’re not sure you want to invite over for Thanksgiving.” The Dodge CEO insists that they’re good with that vibe. They’re comfortable there, with the people “who don’t care what others think about them.”
Ignoring both the fact that your racist uncle is probably also good with that vibe, and the fact that today’s Dodge dealers would probably love a seven-passenger crossover they could sell for under $25,000 out the door, the Charger Daytona EV Scat Pack 2 delivers a surprising amount of value for its asking price.
For starters, there’s a ton of room in the thing. The proportions scream “muscle car” but once you understand how big those tires and wheels really are, you’ll believe me when I tell you there’s room for five actual humans in this thing.
There’s also all-wheel drive. Often seen as a must-have feature here in Chicago, it turns the Charger Daytona EV Scat Pack Stage 2 into a car that will be seen as a potential DD, and not “just” a fair weather friend. With 670 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque available at 0 rpm, that AWD helps deliver straight line performance as well as all-weather safety, too.
Add in the fact that the car is eligible for up to $7500 in lease assistance from Stellantis (and up to 7500 additional dollars from ComEd, if any municipal or state police fleet managers are reading this) make it both faster, cleaner, and more affordable than the current closest V8 Charger … and that, as they say, is progress!
Electrek’s Take
The new Charger Daytona certainly looks the part of a modern muscle car, and there’s no question that it’s faster and more capable than any of the classic Mopars from the 60s and 70s. That said, Dodge seems to be a brand that’s more interested in appealing to the type of car enthusiast that looks back on some imagined “golden age” of chest-pounding automotive performance from days gone by, and not a brand that’s looking to to the future.
The golden age of performance is now. And it’s very, very quiet.
ORIGINAL CONTENT FROM ELECTREK.
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MINI has partnered with lifestyle brand, Deus Ex Machina, to develop this. It’s called the Skeg, and it’s a high-performance, racing-inspired electric concept car that’s sure to lighten the mood – by shedding fully 15% of its mass in the quest for speed.
One of a pair of exclusive, one-off concepts based on MINI’s John Cooper Works cars. The Deus Ex Machina Skeg celebrates MINI’s storied racing history with what the company calls, “a clean, minimal, and quiet rebellion,” that draws on materials, technologies, and philosophies from the world of surfing.
The electric MINI JCW Skeg is stripped to its essentials, with much of the steel and aluminum bits replaced with lightweight fiberglass to maximize acceleration while driving the minimalist aesthetic home. The end result weighs 15% less than the standard car – but makes the same stout 190 kW (258 hp) as the production car.
Surf’s up
The interior is stripped back to the barest essentials, reflecting BMW’s vision of a surf culture that prioritizes function over form. MINI claims the end result resembles a mobile surf shop, with fiberglass trays for wetsuits, specially shaped bins, neoprene seats, and other touches that “bring the surf culture into the interior.”
For their part, the BMW and MINI styling team seems pretty proud of its minimalistic electric endeavor. “In this extraordinary collaboration … every single detail has been crafted with artisanal precision and expertise,” says Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design. “This has resulted in unique characters that are clearly perceived as belonging together through their distinctive design language and use of graphics.”
The concept retains the production version’s 54.2 kWh li-ion battery pack, up to 250 of WLTP range with the production aero kit, sprints from 0-100 km (62 mph) in just 5.9 seconds. With 15% less mass, though, that should jump to more than 255 miles, with 0-60 times dropping below 5.5 seconds.
I dig it – but I’d skip the surf bits and just appreciate the raw composite, minimalist interior look for what it is. Take a look at the image gallery, below, then let us know what you think of MINI’s Skeg concept in the comments.
MINI Skeg concept | gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: BMW MINI.
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Environment
Volvo Penta teams up with e-power to equip Boels with next-gen Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Veteran marine and industrial power solutions company Volvo Penta has joined forces with energy solutions provider e-power to build battery energy storage systems (BESS). Volvo Penta’s battery systems for energy storage will power BESS units built by e-power that can be catered to a range of applications, most notably construction rental clients like Boels Rentals in Europe.
Volvo Penta is a provider of sustainable power solutions that currently serves land and sea applications under the Volvo Group umbrella. As more and more of the world goes all-electric, the global manufacturer has also adapted, sharing cultural values with Volvo Group to engineer new and innovative sustainable power solutions.
Nearly 100 years later, Volvo Penta remains an industry leader in marine propulsion systems and industrial engines. As more and more of the world goes all-electric, the Swedish manufacturer has also adapted, sharing cultural values with Volvo Group to engineer new and innovative sustainable power solutions.
For example, all Volvo Penta diesel engines now run on hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO), reducing well-to-wheel emissions by up to 90% across the marine and industrial power industries. On the zero-emissions side, Volvo Penta has expressed its dedication to fossil-free power solutions, including battery electric components to serve heavy-duty applications such as terminal tractors, forklifts, drill rigs, and feed mixers, to name a few.
To leverage its battery electric value chain, Volvo Penta has also ventured into battery systems for energy storage (or BESS subsystems). These energy-dense, purpose-built BESS subsystems can provide portable, sustainable energy for all-electric charging and reduce grid dependency.
Volvo Penta to deploy battery systems for energy storage
Volvo Penta recently announced a strategic partnership with e-power, a Belgian power solutions provider. Together, Volvo Penta and e-power will develop a scalable Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for Boels Rental.
The collaboration continues a long-standing partnership between all three companies. Boels – one of the largest construction rental companies is a long-time customer of e-power generators that utilize Volvo Penta engines. As the company shifts toward electrification and sustainability, it will again turn to those companies to deliver reliable performance.
Volvo Penta’s BESS subsystem comprises battery packs, a Battery Management System (BMS), DC/DC converters, and thermal management, combining to offer a compact, high-density, and transport-friendly solution optimized for rental operations. The company shared that this BESS design is integration-ready, enabling other OEMs like e-power to adapt and scale systems to customer-specific needs. Per e-power business support director, Jens Fets:
We’ve built our reputation on reliability and efficient power systems. Working again with Volvo Penta, this time on battery energy storage, allows us to meet the growing demand for energy in a silent, low-emissions, compact and mobile design—especially in rental applications.
The deployment of these new battery energy storage systems will help Boels cater to its customers’ growing demand for clean, silent, and mobile energy solutions in construction and other industrial applications.
Aside from being more quickly adaptable to customer needs, Volvo Penta says its BESS architecture marks an overall shift in rental power systems. This is welcome news for all who support a cleaner, more sustainable future across all industries.
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That didn’t take long! Just a few hours after Mercedes revealed the screen-heavy interior of its upcoming 2026 GLC EV, photos of the new crossover’s exterior – and that controversial grille! – leaked on Instagram and Reddit. We’ve got them here.
Two days ahead of the GLC EV’s officially schedule global debut, images that reportedly show the new 2026 Mercedes undisguised have leaked on Instagram and Reddit. They show the blocky new light-up grille on the nose of a very smooth, jellybean-like crossover shape that, despite Mercedes’ insistence that it’s moving away from the EQ series’ design language, looks an awful lot like an EQ Mercedes.
Check out the leaked images from kindleauto’s Instagram account, below, and see if you agree with that assessment.
If you need to see more before you feel comfortable commenting on the new SUV’s looks, there’s a few more angles over on the r/mercedes_benz subreddit.
Leaked exterior pictures of the upcoming GLC EV
byu/Quick_Coyote_7649 inmercedes_benz
As with everything else on the internet, take those unofficial images with a grain of salt and maybe wait until the GLC EV’s official reveal in a few days’ time before casting your final vote on the new look – but there’s very little reason to believe the new Mercedes will look terribly different from what you see here.
Will the new grille and tech-forward interior with its massive, 39″ screen and MB.OS software be enough to turn the tide for Mercedes-Benz, enabling it to finally gain some traction in the electric crossover market? That remains to be seen, but the recently updated Tesla Model Y and crisply-styled new BMW iX3 with its 500 miles of range will make it an uphill battle, for sure.
We got a sneak peek at the new GLC back in July, when Mercedes-Benz Group CEO, Ola Källenius said that, “We’re not just introducing a new model – we’re electrifying our top seller.” Back then, we learned that the new GLC EV would have a wheelbase 3.1″ longer than the current ICE-powered model, as well as more head- and leg-room for its occupants and an extra 4.5 cubic feet (for 61.4 total) of cargo space.
Källenius also promised an innovative new 800V electric architecture and the latest battery tech, which will enable the electric GLC to add around 260 km (~160 miles) of WLTP range in just ten minutes thanks to more than 300 kW of charging capability.
SOURCES | IMAGES: kindleauto; Quick_Coyote_7649.
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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