Dodge seemingly can’t let go of the gas-powered Charger even with its first electric muscle car finally arriving. A new report claims Dodge is prioritizing the launch of an upcoming gas Charger model months ahead of schedule.
The iconic muscle car is finally going electric. Dodge revealed the Charger Daytona EV in March, deeming it “the world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car.”
Tim Kuniskis, Dodge’s CEO, even claimed that the next-generation of Dodge muscle has just arrived.
You can see Dodge stayed true to its roots with its traditional muscular-looking widebody design. However, new elements like a full-length LED front light bar and red “ring of fire” LED rear taillamps, distinguish it from its predecessors.
With “Hellcat Redeye levels of performance,” the electric Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack model is fitted with a stage 2 upgrade kit straight from the factory, delivering up to 670 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque for a 0 to 60 mph sprint time in just 3.3 seconds.
New features like PowerShot (an added 40 hp boost) and race options (including donut, drift, launch control, and race prep) add to the Charger’s already impressive performance.
Dodge accelerates gas-powered Charger launch
Meanwhile, its patent-pending “world-first” Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system makes it sound like you’re driving a Hellcat model.
Despite the hype, Dodge is reportedly accelerating the launch of the gas-powered Charger SIXPACK models.
According to MoparInsiders.com, the gas Chargers are now expected to arrive at dealerships as soon as next summer rather than the late 2025 target.
Dodge initially said the electric Charger Daytona EV First Edition would roll out first, followed by the SIXPACK model in Q1 2025. However, the gas-powered model was pushed back shortly after.
Sources close to the publication claim the adjustment comes as a response to higher demand for its performance comubustion-engine muscle cars. As the report notes, the shift could also be due to the potential changing regulatory priorities and policies under President-Elect Donald Trump.
The electric Charger will still hit the market first, but Dodge has yet to officially release the First Edition models. According to MoparInsiders‘ sources, Dodge engineers are working to fix issues with the shock components, software update reflashes, and other minor issues.
2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV trim
Horsepower
0 to 60 mph time
Starting price*
Dodge Charger Daytona R/T
496 hp
4.7 seconds
$59,995
Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack
670 hp
3.3 seconds
$73,190
2024 Dodge Charger Daytona prices and specs (*excluding a $1,995 destination fee)
Dodge opened orders for the electric Charger in September, with a starting price of $59,995. That’s for the base Dodge Charger Daytona R/T.
The “Hellcat-like” Scat Pack model starts at $73,190. Both models qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
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All-electric aircraft developer BETA Technologies has shared another important milestone in bringing its first two vessels to market. Most recently, BETA’s founder, CEO, and test pilot Kyle Clark took the production version of its ALIA eCTOL up for its first flight, as seen in the video below.
BETA Technologies is a fully integrated electric aircraft and systems developer based in Vermont. Three years ago, it debuted its first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the ALIA–250. That BETA vessel has since been renamed the ALIA VTOL and completed a piloted test flight transitioning mid-air this past April.
In addition to the ALIA VTOL, BETA has also been developing an electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) plane called the ALIA CTOL. To date, it has flown tens of thousands of test miles en route to evaluation flights for FAA certification. That aircraft is targeting full approval for commercial operations by 2025.
As BETA moves closer to bringing the ALIA CTOL to the public, it has completed its first bonafide production build in South Burlington. Following a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), BETA has successfully taken its production-ready ALIA CTOL up for a test flight, piloted by its founder and CEO.
Watch BETA’s founder complete a CTOL test flight
BETA Technologies shared details of its first successful production CTOL test flight today alongside the images above and the full video below.
Once the production-intent build of the ALIA CTOL was complete, the FAA inspected the aircraft for safety and compliance before granting BETA a Multipurpose Special Airworthiness Certificate for Experimental Research & Development, Market Survey, and Crew Training, signing-off approval for test flights.
On November 13, BETA CEO, founder, and test pilot Kyle Clark conducted the first test flight of the ALIA CTOL aircraft, which lasted nearly an hour. The test included a conventional runway takeoff before the aircraft climbed to 7,000 feet.
While in the air, Clark tested the aircraft’s handling qualities, stability, control test points, and initial airspeed expansion before completing several approaches ahead of a normal landing. Clark spoke following the successful flight:
This start of our production CX300 flight test campaign is a result of years of hard work and focus on studying customer requirements, hard engineering, manufacturing, production, quality and test. It represents a significant milestone for BETA, and is the beginning of an exciting new phase for the business. With this, we’re one step closer to putting this technology into the hands of our customers.
We learned a lot from this first production build. We weren’t just building an aircraft company, we were building and refining a system to build high quality aircraft efficiently. This first build allowed the team to collect data and insight on manufacturing labor, tooling design, processes, yields and sequences, all of which are being used to refine our production systems.
With its production test flight campaign now underway, BETA says it will continue testing the ALIA CTOL aircraft for the standard 50 hours required before qualifying for a Market Survey and Crew Training certificate. That next certificate will enable BETA to fly outside of Burlington and Plattsburgh and continue training additional pilots on the aircraft.
The company shared it will also continue production of additional aircraft, including ALIA CTOL and ALIA VTOL configurations, the latter of which was recently teased in October. You can view footage of BETA’s CTOL flight below.
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Crude oil futures rose slightly on Thursday, with the U.S. benchmark trading around $69 per barrel, though the market outlook remains bearish.
Global crude supplies are expected to outstrip demand by more than 1 million barrels per day next year led by robust growth in the U.S., according to the International Energy Agency’s monthly market report.
Here are today’s energy prices by 8:07 a.m. ET:
West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.92 per barrel, up 49 cents, or 0.7%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil is down more than 3%.
Brent January contract: $72.78 per barrel, up 50 cents, or 0.7%. Year to date, the global benchmark is down more than 5%.
RBOB Gasoline December contract: $1.9711 per gallon, up 0.3%. Year to date, gasoline has fallen nearly 6%.
Natural Gas December contract: $2.966 per thousand cubic feet, down 0.6%. Year to date, gas has gained nearly 18%.
UBS slashed its price forecast for global benchmark Brent to $80 per barrel from $87 previously on weakening demand in China, the world’s largest crude importer.
OPEC on Tuesday cut its demand growth forecast for the fourth month in a row earlier this week.
U.S. crude oil has shed about 4% and Brent is down 3.5% since Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential as the dollar has surged. A stronger U.S. dollar can depress oil demand among buyers that hold other currencies.
Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Click here to learn more.
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