Since its debut final 12 months, Dodge has billed the Charger Daytona because the “world’s quickest and strongest muscle automotive.” The performance-oriented EV is slowly working its manner into the fingers of patrons, and with some now heading to the drag strip, we are able to lastly check the accuracy of that assertion.

How does the electrical Charger deal with the quarter-mile? For starters, it is not doing a burnout, as a result of it may’t. However with it is 5,800-pound mass sitting on a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain, the Charger in all probability does not have to warmth the tires for a grippy launch. That holds very true with this being an R/T, creating 496 peak horsepower. Thusly outfitted, it ought to run a mid-12-second quarter-mile time.

Its first competitor on this drag race video from Wheels is a Tesla Mannequin Y. We aren’t certain if it is a Efficiency mannequin, however there could possibly be as a lot as 456 hp turning these white letter tires. By the numbers, this needs to be race.

And it’s—particularly for crew Tesla. Each vehicles depart the beginning line on the identical time, however the Mannequin Y instantly places a automotive size on the Charger. At half-track the Tesla continues to be in entrance, however the Charger appears to realize floor ever-so-slightly. It isn’t sufficient to say a victory, nevertheless. The Mannequin Y crosses the road in 12.54 seconds, versus 12.87 for the Charger. Remarkably, each had just about similar lure speeds, with the Charger barely faster at 111.84 mph. The Tesla reached 111.52 mph.

The second race not less than has some sound, courtesy of a Ram 1500 lining up in opposition to the Charger. It does not look like a howling Hemi, although. Straining our ears, it certain appears like a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 giving all the things it is acquired. That is supported by the truck’s 17.19 quarter-mile time, reaching simply 79.9 mph. It is a simple win for the Charger Daytona, practically matching its earlier go with a 12.93 run at 111.68 mph.

It is value noting that the Charger Daytona featured right here is probably going the slowest of all new Chargers, be it the electrical Daytona or the forthcoming Charger Sixpack. The Daytona Scat Pack will get 670 hp by its dual-motor powertrain, and the lighter Charger Sixpack could have not less than 420 hp from its twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six. With rumors of the Hemi V-8 returning to the combination and the 1,000-hp Charger Daytona Banshee nonetheless to return, Chargers will solely get quicker from right here.