Dodge Suspends Charger Daytona EV Production

Dodge won’t be making any 2026 Charger Daytona EVs anytime soon and we’re just not surprised. Instead of just admitting nobody wants the electric “muscle cars” parent company Stellantis is of course blaming Trump’s tariffs, which have become the industry’s excuse for everything, just like covid back in the day.

California’s EV mandate is done.

It’s funny, though, because as CBT News reports, Dodge is still making the gas-powered versions of the Charger. We guess the tariffs are only affecting the batteries or electric motors, not that demand for the Daytona EVs has cratered.

Sure, the Charger is still made in Canada, for now. But we’ve also been told the winds of change have been blowing hard inside Stellantis since former CEO Carlos Tavares was ousted. Among them is the revival of the Hemi V8 for the Charger.

Before its return, this summer Dodge will launch the straight-six, gas-powered Hurricane version of the Charger. It’s hopeful a lot of people will want the thing, but the reality is the reception will probably be tepid.

With the word out the Hemi V8 is back on the menu this fall, a lot of shoppers are going to be holding out for that. But Dodge is going to try selling this move as being related to tariffs and we’re not buying it.

EVs in general have been seeing sales decline as the people who really wanted them bought one in the past few years. A fair number of people who own electric cars at least say they won’t buy another – that probably depends on what’s available then.

But the current market isn’t too focused on EVs, even though almost the entirety of the auto industry was convinced three years ago consumers would be flocking to electric cars. Now Dodge, and many other brands, are having to walk things back while giving people what they actually want.

Image via Stellantis