Episode Details

Can a gas-powered Charger Hellcat muscle car coexist with a 900-hp Charger Banshee EV in Dodge's lineup? Recent reports and remarks from Dodge's CEO seem to suggest they can, even though both of these models were written off entirely not that long ago.

We recently learned from a new report that the glorious Hellcat V8 may eventually find its way into the engine bay of the eighth-generation Charger, as Dodge has apparently green-lighted the Charger Hellcat for the 2028 model year. While the insider information hasn't been confirmed yet by Dodge, previous comments from top-level Stellantis executives point in that direction.

Don't Dismiss the Banshee Before Dodge Does

While welcoming the Hellcat V8 back into Charger does make sense in the current market environment where EVs are losing ground to ICEs in the U.S.—especially when it comes to enthusiast cars—one thing we didn't expect is Dodge giving the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee electric muscle car a second chance—well, technically, a first chance as it was shelved before even reaching showrooms.

You may remember that the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee halo car, which was supposed to become the all-electric successor to the Hellcat, was reportedly canceled before reaching production, mirroring the fate of the Ram 1500 REV all-electric truck.

But in a recent interview with Canada's Driving, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear suggested that the fate of the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee is not yet sealed. "Banshee is never completely dead. I mean, SRT has never… we'll see. I mean, everything is, uh, is all about timing," the executive noted.

That's an interesting statement and it may hint at Dodge waiting for better market conditions to launch the flagship Banshee. Or maybe not; maybe what Dodge is waiting for is to have both the supercharged Hellcat V8-powered Charger in the lineup and the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee as its all-electric sidekick.

According to McAlear, "one of the best things for the EV's powertrain will be having the [gas-fueled  Hurricane] sitting right next to it on the showroom floor… the ability to compare and to test-drive both back-to-back, I think will be unique versus some of the other competitors."

Former Stellantis CEO's Departure Gave Dodge More Powertrain Flexibility

The executive also said that the brand did not make "any changes to the plan" after the departure of former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.

"The only thing we've changed is the mix from a production standpoint," McAlear said, referring to the addition of the Hurricane six-cylinder gas engine to the Charger lineup and the axing of the 496-hp Charger Daytona R/T entry