[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

So far the one item of value in Rich's video is that he managed to drag out of one of the engineers that the power difference R/T vs Scat is software (@ 16:30 through roughly 17:45) and both versions it's the whole drive unit rated at 250kW. I was wondering if it was just the motor rated to 250kW with two different inverters changing the output.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

He basically said, it was a "Good Cruising Car" that is also very quick. Face it, THAT IS A MUSCLE CAR. Like an old Impala SS, Coronet R/T, Galaxie 500... They WERE big old 2 door family cars, that dad liked, and mom tolerated. Those days are back, and I'm glad. No it isn't a Mustang GT, and I'm glad. Those are tiny. No it isn't a Model 3 Performance, again, that car will fit inside this Dodge, and dear lord are they boring in every way but floored. (Seriously impressive when floored, I'll agree!)

Exactly.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

Ive heard two different peak DCFC rates, 210 Kw, and 183 Kw. I wonder which is correct? I’ve found a peak rate isn’t as important as the charging curve, as our e-tron only peaks at 150 Kw, but will hold that all the way to 80%.

Yeah I noticed that as well - curious.

I only DCFC maybe a half dozen times a year, so it isn’t a critical issue for me, but it will be interesting to learn if Dodge has cut corners on this important aspect of EV performance for those who drive longer distances more frequently.

Well I'll certainly put it to the test and be sure to share what I find.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

Car and Driver and Road and Track have written reviews, no video that I've seen yet:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a63147155/2024-dodge-charger-daytona-ev-drive/

https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a63108290/2024-dodge-charger-daytona-r-t-tested/

Both seem to lean positive.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

It was good to see Rich didn’t let the rep wiggle out of the question. We have professional journalists working at the national level who could learn something from Rich.

Yeah his DGAF attitude usually irritates me, but in circumstances like this, it can be useful to have someone who is not trying to preserve access by playing nice.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

I also thought it was notable that, similar to other reviewers, he complained a lot whilst also complimenting the car on several occasions. Further reinforcing that this really is a subjective thing and beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

Speaking of beauty...was anyone else massively grossed out by his sexist and mysoginistic bit, where he compared rating the car to how he rates girls, and how driving this car would or wouldn't arouse a prospective female companion...

Yeah being crass and obnoxious is kind of his schtick.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

Yes…but my sense is the Dodge rep didn’t really seem to know what he was talking about. He preferred to deflect to hardware, such as brakes and tires.

I’m not confident in his answer. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the future we learn there is a different inverter.

My read on it was he was nervously trying to remember the PR training on how to divert that exact question. If the units are the same, they really don't want that getting talked about.

To my ear, having a parent that works in PR and has relentlessly taught me about it, the pivot to suspension differences sounded like the planned re-direct.

I won't be 100% confident either, until there is an R/T and Scat Pack inverter opened up on my workbench. It took a while to confirm the differences between the two versions of Tesla's LDU, I'm hoping this will happen quicker.

 

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

I agree, and it is everyone, not EV Fans. If anything, I think EV "haters" (EV unfamiliar?) are more concerned about range than people hat actually have one now.

While I won't say I have "zero" interest. I do have "minimal" interest/concerns. I have driven well over 400 miles at a stint, straight through. BUT, it was maybe once a year. IF stopping to charge was really an issue, I would just rent a car instead.
And yes, winter driving is a factor, but IMHO, not as much as gasoline. IF you get stuck in traffic, I'm pretty sure you can sit in reasonable comfort, for a lot longer than idling a gasoline car.
I live east of Pittsburgh, and definitely want to go back to the Woodward Dream Cruise and/or Roadkill Nights (if it happens again) I've been to both several times. That is a decent one day drive, and I need juice once there, so charging is a factor, but minimal one. Now when I was in Florida like in 2021, and my wife was concerned about winter storms, we left early. Packed up and hit the road at noon, and drove straight through to home, only brief stops for gasoline. EV would have needed several hours longer and would have turned into a hotel stop and/or driver swaps. Nothing major, but it would have changed the trip home. (FWIW, This was in a 2019 Volvo S90 Inscription T8 (PHEV) that was AWESOME!)

I fairly regularly drive 600+ miles in a single day, and growing up my family did so several times a year for trips from NY's Hudson Valley to NC's Outer Banks. So, I understand the concerns about range, and my pet peeve about EV advocates is not understanding EV skeptics real concern about range.

Typically, EV advocates jump straight to telling people why they shouldn't worry about range, they don't actually drive that far very often, etc, etc. Which completely misses what the real concern is; what skeptics are really saying is "my current car has the capability to do this thing. It sounds like you're asking me to pay more for a car that does not have the capability to do this thing"

The better approach is to talk someone through HOW they do long drives, and how they only need to make small changes to their planning to accommodate an EV. For example, when my family drives from NY to NC, they typically stop a couple of times, once for breakfast and walking the dogs, again for gas and to stretch legs, and then once more for lunch and walking the dogs. All a modern EV requires of you is to make those stops where there is a DC fast charger.

Now to be fair, there are times when we have made fewer stops, and when I do the trip solo in my V6 Challenger, I aim for a single stop for lunch, gas, and walking the dog. But, even so, I've looked at it and for the Daytona it's going to mean a total of 3 stops, and not for very long. Probably safer and healthier in the long run than driving for 4+ hours in a single stretch.

So yes, an EV means more planning than "drive until near empty, find a gas station" but, it is not a huge ask.

Also, if charging networks would do more to build DC fast charging stations like they were gas stations and along main routes, and less in the back of random grocery store parking lots, that would be helpful.