Electric muscle cars were supposed to mark a bold new chapter, but the reality has been less than thrilling. Dodge may not want to admit it, but the Charger Daytona has not ushered in an exciting era for all-electric muscle cars as the brand would have hoped.

In the first quarter of the year, just 2,115 were sold in the US and Canada, prompting Dodge to kill off the entry-level R/T model. And for at least one buyer, it seems to be riddled with issues.

Read: A V8 Dodge Charger Could Be Closer Than You Think

This particular Charger R/T Daytona, which we must say looks excellent painted in Peel Out Orange, is currently being leased by a man named Nicholas Sharrett. He collected it in May from Wetzel Dodge in Richmond, Indiana, and says it has been nothing but trouble. In fact, he now describes the car as “practically useless.”

The Trunk That Won’t Open

Sharrett’s biggest frustration is with the trunk. It doesn’t open, and it hasn’t worked from the day he picked it up. Curiously, Dodge has not added a trunk opener to the keyfob, nor is there a button or a latch in the cabin.

Instead, the only way to open it is to press a tiny rubber button on the taillight. That button doesn’t work, so the only way to load things into the trunk is to open the door, lower the back seats, and throw items to the rear.

Doors Out of Line

The problems don’t end with the trunk. Sharrett says the driver’s door is so badly misaligned that it rubs against the body in three different spots, even wearing away the paint at one point. Wetzel Dodge, located more than 100 miles from his home, tried to correct the alignment but told him Stellantis refused to repaint the exposed metal.

Additionally, there’s a fault with the passenger door, and it only works roughly half the time. So, if Sharrett needs to open the passenger door, he has to do so from inside the Daytona. He also says he receives error messages on the Uconnect infotainment system almost every single time he starts up the car.

The driver’s seat comes with an especially frustrating flaw. When someone in the back pulls the strap to move it forward, the seat slides as expected. But once it reaches the end of its track, it won’t stay in place and immediately begins sliding back on its own. This glitch once trapped Sharrett’s seven-year-old daughter as she was trying to climb out of the rear seat.

Sharrett’s experience might be just one case, but it leaves room for a bigger conversation. If you own a Charger Daytona, have you faced similar issues, or has your car lived up to expectations? Share your experience in the comments below.

The Dodge Charger Daytona hasn’t exactly had the greatest start to life. Early reviews were critical of its driving dynamics, the base price isn’t exactly competitive when performance is factored in, and it started out as a two-door only, which limits its target demographic. Now, at least one dealer might have a way to interest more buyers, and it’s a lease that’ll cost less per month than the average American spends on coffee.

More: You Can Now Lease A Nissan Ariya For Less Than A Leaf S

Elk Grove Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram is in the midst of what it’s calling a back-to-school sale. It’s offering low APR, thousands of dollars off some models, and one particularly wild-sounding lease deal. That deal is on the aforementioned Charger Daytona, and it reportedly costs just $49.99 a month for buyers who qualify. Since there’s no such thing as a free lunch, though, the list of requirements is where things start to get complicated.

Credit and Rebates

First and foremost, the customer must have the right credit score. Specifically, they have to qualify for tier 1 approval. Typically, that’s a credit score of 750 or higher. On top of that, they have to qualify for five different rebates. The biggest one, the federal EV tax credit of $7,500, is one that lots of people will be eligible for. The others, though, aren’t as simple.

A $1,000 rebate for “lease bonus cash” is only available to customers currently leasing another car. An even larger $4,000 rebate is for “West BC SFS Lease Bonus Cash.” In other words, one has to live in the Western Business Center of Stellantis and finance the loan through it. A further $2,000 rebate is only available to friends and family of Stellantis workers. Finally, a $500 rebate kicks in for first responders or military members.

The $5,000 Fine Print

Provided that all of that checks out, the $49.99 is still on the table, but from what we’re hearing, the fine print makes the deal look a little less sweet. Evidently, buyers need to put at least $5,000 down to get it, which effectively makes the monthly payment closer to $200 over the course of 24 months. Even so, that’s not a bad deal.

What complicates things is that the dealership hasn’t disclosed the mileage allowance, which could mean that it’s set low enough to keep costs down. For anyone driving more than a short commute, the overage penalties could may erase any perceived savings.

So while $49.99 a month makes for an eye-catching headline, the layers of conditions, hefty down payment, and probable mileage cap make it a deal that looks far better on paper than in practice. Elk Grove may draw attention with the figure, but once the fine print is accounted for, most shoppers will recognize it as little more than a flashy number that doesn’t match the reality of driving the car.

All things considered, would this deal be enough to get you into a new Dodge Charger Daytona? Let us know in the comments below.

Carscoops reached out to Elk Grove for further details and will update this piece if we hear back. 

Long before electric vehicles became a common sight on roads, there was a time when resourceful hobbyists took matters into their own hands. Back then, converting gas-powered cars into EVs was a niche pursuit, often tackled with simple electric powertrains and a lot of trial and error.

Among the few small companies that specialized in these conversions was an American outfit called Jet Industries. Now, one of its creations is heading to auction.

Read: Dodge’s New Charger Coming To Europe And The Middle East In 2025

From the outside, this 1980 Dodge Omni 024 looks just like any other. But beneath its ordinary exterior, the original engine has been replaced by a compact 23-horsepower electric motor. That’s a laughable figure by modern EV standards, but this was the 1970s and 1980s, when the idea of an electric car was still closer to a science project than a production model.

Vintage Tech Under the Hatch

Pop the trunk and you’ll find a dedicated compartment that holds the battery pack. It’s unclear how many Dodge Omni 024s were converted by the Texas-based firm, but it’s certainly quite rare.

There’s also no word on how far it could travel on a single charge. What we do know is that rather than using a lithium-ion pack like most current EVs, this special Omni simply had a bunch of 12-volt lead-acid batteries in the rear, reportedly weighing upwards of 1,000 lbs.

Photos Mecum

Curiously, all of the batteries have been removed from the trunk of this Dodge, so it no longer runs. Mecum Auctions is handling the sale of the EV, but has not provided any photos of its underside. Chances are, there’s plenty of rust there, judging from the photos of the trunk.

A Rare Find, If Not a Valuable One

While the car’s uniqueness is undeniable, its value is likely modest. Given its condition and limited appeal beyond collectors of obscure automotive history, a sale price in the low thousands wouldn’t be surprising.

It may not run, and it’s definitely not fast, but if you’ve got a soft spot for oddball EVs and a high tolerance for rust, this relic might be calling your name. Check out the listing here, just don’t forget your trickle charger and a tetanus shot.

Photos Mecum

With the all-new, all-electric Charger Daytona, Dodge had likely hoped it could usher in a new era of muscle cars. However, the reception to the new model is poor, so much so that the carmaker has already scrapped the base R/T version, leaving it with just a single electric Charger on sale. Combine this with the U.S. administration’s plans to drop EV incentives and relaxing emissions regulations, and it seems the electric Charger couldn’t have launched at a worse time.

But, Dodge has a second option to fall back on: the gas-powered version of the Charger. It doesn’t have a V8, but a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder, and will likely prove crucial as to whether the new Charger is a success or a flop. Dodge is reportedly ramping up production of both the ICE two-door and four-door Chargers at its Windsor Assembly Plant, allowing the site to return to two shifts.

Read: It’s Official, Dodge Is Killing The Electric Charger Daytona R/T

Dodge’s Canadian plant has been running on just a single shift for a while now, but starting June 23, it will ramp up to two shifts, with a planned two-week shutdown from August 18, Windsor Star reports. Sam Fiorani from AutoForecast Solutions told the publication that production of the two-door ICE Charger is expected to hit “quadruple digits” by September, while the four-door version is expected to reach full volume later in the third quarter.

“The (Charger) EV rollout was relatively uneventful,” Fiorani told Windsor Star. “It’s a great product, but the market for that vehicle wants gas-powered engines. The changing emission regulations in the U.S. have allowed for more gas-powered engines. The focus on the ICE variants is going to be much stronger than it had initially been planned.”

V8 in the Cards?

Not only will the gas-powered Charger appeal to more traditional muscle car enthusiasts, but Fiorani also expects it to prove much more appealing to fleet buyers than the EV.

Then there’s the matter of the V8. While Dodge is reportedly investigating whether they can fit a Hemi into the Charger’s STLA Large platform, Fiorani cautions that production data has yet to confirm whether that’s possible.

Earlier this month, some reports suggested a prototype with a V8 was spotted, but whether it’s a real possibility or just wishful thinking remains unclear. However, with Ram resurrecting the Hemi V8, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if Dodge decided to bring back the classic muscle car engine for the Charger. The V8’s return would certainly resonate with enthusiasts who still want to hear the roar of a big engine under the hood.

Dodge Charger Daytona EV pictured

The Dodge Charger Daytona traded a roaring Hemi V8 for an electric powertrain that sparked backlash from fans. The results haven’t been pretty as some models are being discounted by more than $20,000.

Slow sales aren’t the only issue as Dodge is recalling 8,390 Charger Daytonas from the 2024 and 2025 model year. They’re too quiet for their own good as missing software can prevent the amplifier from emitting pedestrian warning sounds. This means it runs afoul of rules designed specifically for hybrid and electric vehicles, which can travel silently at low speeds.

More: It’s Official, Dodge Is Killing The Electric Charger Daytona R/T

Dodge estimates that 3% of the recalled units may have experienced an “incomplete software upload.” FCA US began investigating the issue in April of this year and the fix is relatively straight forward as dealers will update the amplifier software, if needed. Owner notifications are slated to be mailed out on July 10 and repairs will be free of charge.

Chrysler Pacifica and Voyager Recalled Over Camera Issue

In other news, Stellantis is recalling 140 Chrysler Pacifica and Voyager minivans from the 2023 model year. They have a “manufacturing error,” which can prevent a rearview camera image from being displayed.

Delving into the safety recall report reveals the issue is related to a “solder void between the circuit board and an image signal processing chip.” 2.9% of the recalled vehicles are believed to have the problem and dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as needed. Like in the Charger Daytona recall, notification letters are slated to go out on July 10^th.