2025 Dodge Charger EV Could Feature an Advanced Digital Key System

There has been very little information about the upcoming all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona while the brand has focused on the 2023 Last Call program. The company has shown off the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept at all of the major auto shows – most recently Detroit – but there has been very little new information. While not all Dodge fans are enthusiastic about the new generation, there are folks in the Mopar community who are excited for the next chapter in the Charger story.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any new official information to discuss, but there are some aspects of the 2025 Ram 1500 that seem likely to be utilized by the next generation Dodge Charger. One of those features is the advanced digital key system. Technically, the current Dodge cars have digital key capabilities through the UConnect App, so I can unlock the doors and start the engine in my 2017 Challenger SRT Hellcat from my phone, but I have to open the app, log in, then push the “buttons” to unlock the doors or start the engine. Several automakers have have gone to a more advanced smartphone-based digital key system that works more like a key fob, allowing passive, proximity-based entry to the vehicle without having to push any buttons. With some of these systems, the driver has to hold their phone up to the vehicle while others allow the driver to access the vehicle simply by having the phone in their pocket.

Based on the press release for the 2025 Ram 1500, the new half-ton truck will feature one of these advanced digital key systems that allows the owner’s smartphone to function like a key fob, without pushing a button or even taking it out of their pocket.

“Ram owners can now add a digital key to their smartphone or watch to access and start their vehicle. After enrolling in Ram Connect and downloading the Ram app to a compatible device, owners can create and store digital keys in their smartphone’s wallet. They can then access their vehicle without removing the phone from their pocket. Digital keys can be shared with other compatible devices, while the owner retains full control over the access. An NFC-based smart card is provided to users as a backup. This can be used to unlock and start the vehicle in cases where the smartphone is not available. While traditional key fobs remain standard, digital keys give customers more flexibility in terms of how they access their trucks.”

If the company is investing resources to include an advanced smartphone-based digital key system, it seems likely that the technology would be used in other models as well. Seeing as how these phone-based systems have become popular among the EV segment, including in the bestselling Tesla vehicles, this seems like the type of tech that would appeal to Dodge Charger Daytona EV buyers.

Based on the Ram press release, the new 1500 will still come with standard key fobs, and a smart card that owners can keep in their wallet, so people who don’t want to rely on their phone for one more aspect of life can stick with the traditional fob, but the Ram digital key system seems like a feature that is likely to be offered in the next generation Dodge Charger.