When the Dodge Charger SRT Daytona BEV was introduced as the brand’s first planned all-electric vehicle, we learned that it would be offered in 400-volt and 800-volt form. Many people who are unfamiliar with EV technology believed that having double the capacity would mean double the output, but that is not the case. A Charger SRT Banshee BEV with the 800V system will not automatically offer double the horsepower or torque of a 400V model, but it will charge twice as fast and it will likely have other advantages that will improve overall performance.
When automakers talk about 400V and 800V electric vehicles, they are not talking about battery size, they are talking about the electrical system architecture. Most current electric vehicles on the road today – including those from Tesla – use the 400V system. The Porsche Taycan, the Audi eTron GT, the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Genesis GV70 are among the few EVs in the US market which are available with the 800V architecture, but they will soon be joined by the Dodge Charger and the new Ram Revolution. The Taycan offers up to 616 horsepower, the Audi offers 522, the Kia 576, the Hyundai 320 and the Genesis 482, showing that having an 800-volt system doesn’t guarantee monster power.
The big power comes from the size of the motors, generally rated in kilowatts (kW), and in the case of the upcoming Charger BEV, we do not know what size motor(s) the SRT Banshee will use, but we do know what size motor configuration the 400V models will feature. The Charger 340 will come with 340 kW of motor output, or 455 horsepower, while the Charger 440 will come with 440 kW of output, or 590 horsepower. However, those same motor configurations with the 800V system would not automatically make more power, but the battery systems in the 800V Chargers will charger in half the time.
While the 800V electrical architecture in the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee does not immediately lead to more horsepower and torque output, it can improve performance in other ways. An 800-volt system provides the same amount of power to the motor(s) with less current flow, which means that lighter cables can be used, reducing vehicle weight. Also, with the 800V system relying on less current flow, there is less heat generated by the system and reducing heat is a major component of successful EV performance. With less heat being created, the 800V system burns less energy trying to cool itself down, so the higher voltage system is inherently more efficient.
Finally, as mentioned above, an 800V architecture will allow batteries to charge at roughly double the rate, but there is a catch to this and this catch is why so many vehicles are operating on the 400V system. An 800-volt system can only enjoy the crazy-quick charging times when a Level 3 DC charging station is used, as the Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations to not have high enough voltage output to make use of the 800V architecture. With a strong Level 2 charging system, you get up to roughly 20 kW, while a DC Level 3 system has output levels starting at 50 kW and reaching up around 350 kW.
In other words, the quickest Level 3 DC charging systems with an 800V vehicle can gain about 20 miles of range per minute of charge time. For comparison, a 400V vehicle on a “fast” Level 2 charging station will gain about 28 miles per hour of charging time – or a little under a half-mile per minute. Unfortunately, since most electric vehicles on the road today rely on the 400V system, most public charging stations are not set up with the Level 3 DC stations, since they have minimal advantages over a Level 2 charger for most vehicles. However, with more 800V vehicles on the horizon, Level 3 DC charging stations are becoming more common around the United States.
So, in short, the all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona with the 800V system will not be twice as powerful as the 400V models, but it will charge twice as quickly and it could use lighter weight components, leading to improved real world performance.
While I can get excited by its looks, I can’t get excited about an EV powertrain. Long charging times, inconvenient, soulless in the extreme, strain on the power grid (the grid will collapse when the # of BEVs reaches critical mass), and the batteries are terrible for the environment. I’ll buy one if and only if it comes in an ICE variant.
Just read through another article about an upcoming Alfa Romeo SUV BEV on the STLA: Large platform that promises high horsepower on the 800V powertrain system. Supposedly slated to us solid state batteries, the vehicle is stated to produce anywhere from 300-800hp in it’s standard lineup with a high performance model coming with roughly 1,000hp. Equally impressive is a rumored sub-20minute charge time. While that still does not compare to the sub five minute timespan it takes to fuel an I.C.E powered motor vehicle, it’s quite impressive none the less. In the article, this new Alfa Romeo STLA large platform performance crossover is said to be an E-segment vehicle directly competing in size to the X5 BMW SUV. The article specifically made mention that X5 is roughly 10″ longer than the current Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Doing a bit of research, the Current BMW X5 is 194.3″, slightly longer than the 193.5″ of the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. While I can’t truly call the next generation of performance vehicles, genuine “Muscle cars,” there is alot that points to the fact that the performance era is not dying, it’s evolving. ZF, the company that currently produces the 8-speed transmission for the Mopar brand has produced a 2-speed Transmission for EVs designed to improve range and increase the performance for EVs. While that seems unimpressive if a day and age where 8 and 10-speed transmissions rule the world, it wasn’t too terribly long ago we were completely satisfied with 3-4 speed automatics and 4 or 5 speed manual transmissions. The company has also made a compelling case for a 3-speed EV transmission as other companies have produces as much as just over 14% increase in efficiency with 3-speed units. While that is awesome for performance vehicles, it’s also awesome for trucks and SUVs that are designed for towing and hauling. I think these vehicles are going to be less “Detached” than we may have initially thought they would be. I feel like Stellantis is taking major steps to engineer these EVs to feel alot more natural and organic in alot of ways. Unlike what we’ve seen from certain other EV manufacturers, the majority of the brands under the Stellantis umbrella are build and sold based on expression and emotion whereas brands like Tesla are based on minimalistic and futuristic designs. Two totally different trains of thought and a very different customer base, even though now, they will compete in the same realms. I think it will be interesting to see what actually comes out of this switch to EVs, especially in the realm of performance. From trucks, to performance cars and crossovers, to luxury and even the regular commuter cars. EVs are already fast for the most part and they’re just in the beginning stages. This is truly an exciting time. I still want to see the new Hurricane powered vehicles but I’m just as excited for what is coming in the way of EVs.
I commented above about the new Maserati GT-F with a peak horsepower rating of 1207hp which caused me to do a bit more research on what the European branches of Stellantis are up to with their new quest of EV horsepower. I turns out, there is another Maserati Folgore variant on the horizon, the Levante Trofeo Folgore, which is poised to arrive with a 745hp Tri-Motor setup. While it was not stated it would be safe to figure that the 800v system would be utilized with the Tri-Motor setup and it was stated that the vehicle would have a 482km (299mi) range. With the 400v system producing from 455hp all the way up to 670hp with the Stage 2 kit on the Charger 440, 745hp would definitely be a step in the right direction for the 800v Banshee as a starting point as it puts the power well above the regular hellcat and closer to the Redeye’s 797hp. With that being said, a stage 1 may put the car in the mid 800hp range with the top tier being powered by the 1207hp tri-motor setup that would put it at 7hp higher than the Lucid Air Sapphire and well above the Tesla Model S Plaid’s 1,020hp. While that is amazing, it brings about another question to me. Both the Tesla Model S and the Lucid Air have something in common besides a tri-motor setup. While the Lucid air, the Model S and the Banshee concept all share a sweeping body shape and cavernous liftbacks for storing cargo, the Charger Banshee lacks two doors. While the original charger was a big 2-door coupe, the current charger has done so well because it has those rear doors. the 2-door coupe is a dying breed and the word coupe has been used on sleek 4-door cars such as the BMW 8-series grand coupe and other European cars along with certain crossovers. With the car’s body styling being similar in ways to the ’99 Charger concept, a four-door coupe would make more sense than a massive two door, not only for practicality but also for the market it is competing in. The car would loose ground in sales just in that aspect alone, especially if the market is made up of 4-door cars. Even the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT are four door “coupes.” While this new “banshee” Charger has been where the brand has been trying to put to focus on since they’ve revealed that they’re going electric, let’s not forget the brand also introduced another STLA Large performance vehicle that hasn’t gotten as much publicity, the “Wagoneer S” concept. The D-segment SUV has the promise of 600hp and 3.5-second, Trackhawk rivaling 0-60mph credentials with a size that’s similarly sized to the current two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee. While that is impressive, if Stellantis is bringing out the Levante Trofeo Folgore with 745hp with a tri-motor setup, what’s to stop them from bringing out a JXP version of this Wagoneer S with an 800V 745hp tri-motor setup or even a 1,207hp setup to rival the Tesla Model X Plaid? As I’ve said, the brand is on a threshold for the next generation of performance in both the EV realm and the I.C.E./Hybrid world. Honestly, i think the level of Dodge insanity is about to move up a level. The HP wars are just beginning.
Let’s be real. The 340kw and 440kw are nostalgia number for the 400v system. I’m sure there’s gunna a 700-800hp with the 800v system. Depends what number are marketable.
Hey Anonymous
I believe you may have misinterpreted the article. It’s not to say that the 800v systems will not yield high horsepower vehicles, it’s saying that the 800V systems don’t necessarily imply that the hp or Kw ratings will be double. The Telsa Plaid, which currently produces 1,020hp, runs on a 400v system. While it is true that the Stellantis brand is playing alot of things close to the chest, t would be a bit odd for the brand that is most known for affordable, insane horsepower, wouldn’t target the Tesla Plaid as a direct rival for it’s top performing vehicle. The next gen Maserati Gran Turismo Folgore EV, which should be build on the STLA: Large platform is slated to produce 1207hp (peak) with a Tri-Motor setup along wth lightweight materials. When Stellantis had their EV day last year, it was said that performance was going to be shared across the Stellantis brand which would lead me to believe that this kind of tech is going to be in this new “Charger” as well. The Maserati GT-F is said to have 1207hp available at short burst. Tim Kuniskis said that the Charger will have that same “push to pass” technology that the Hornet has so just putting those two things together this may be the setup that Dodge will use in their “all conquering muscle car” and possibly in the new Ram REV pickup. With that being said, I don’t think that Dodge is going to put all of their high-horsepower eggs in one basket. The new Hurricane-6 is a potent piece as well. With the H.O producing 510hp, the HurriCrate Cat-3 producing 550hp and I think 530lb-ft of torque and the HurriCrate “CAT-X” slated to produce over 1,000hp, I don’t think the days of High Horsepower I.C.E Mopar engines are over just yet. a Hybrid variant of the Hurricane-6 H.O or Cat-3 powertrain could easily eclipse the 700hp mark and if the brand Continues to produce Direct Connection factory backed power packs, we could see these next-gen cars being just as potent as what we already have. Even with just the STLA: Large platform, Dodge is in a position to continue doing what it has been doing all along when it comes to performance vehicles. Not to mention it is in a terrific position to re-launch the GLH moniker with a brand new wave of SRT-4 like vehicles with the SLTA: Medium platform. The brand is doing away with traditional V8 performance, but make no mistake, performance and horsepower aren’t going anywhere. To be truthful, Dodge is actually giving us alot more of it. Just think, the 2.0L 4XE hybrid in the Jeep lineup makes 370hp and 475tq. That’s 5.7L Hemi horsepower and 6.4L Hemi torque from just 2.0-Liters. the 3.0L HO makes 510hp and 500lb-ft of torque which is more than a 6.4L Hemi, a 6.2L LT1 and way more than a 5-point-slow liter Mustang. Admittedly, yes, there is nothing better than the sound of a Mopar v8, however, if Stellantis can figure out how to make the Turbo I-6 and the EV sound good, then it’s still a win. But to answer your question about high horsepower cars, it’s safe to assume that they’re not going anywhere and in fact there will be more high horsepower cars coming from the mopar brand since they wont have to worry about emissions from EVs.
So no more 707 or 800whp Mopars?
You will need a twin turbo inline six to get those numbers in you future mopars.
Possible a hybrid electric 8 speed auto transmission for additional boost?
My crystal ball doesn’t have enough watts to predict that though.