After 18 years as one of the most powerful V8s in history, Dodge is finally putting an end to its supercharged Hellcat engine. The 2023 model year will feature six “Last Call” special edition Hellcat models. In the wings awaits the Banshee, an all-electric, 800-volt SRT “eMuscle” powertrain. Dodge wants to make its Banshee the Hellcat of the future.
Is Dodge still building the Hellcat?
Dodge is building Hellcat V8s — both in “Last Call” special edition cars and as crate engines — for the 2023 model year. The automaker plans to destroy the Hellcat badge by the end of 2023.
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In 2021, the brand’s CEO, Tim Kuniskis, said of the Hellcat: “I will have this car, this platform, this powertrain as we know it until the end of ’23… There are two years left to a Hellcat, then it’s history.”
Will Dodge continue to build Hellcat crate engines for hotrodders looking for a supercharged V8? There’s nothing stopping Dodge’s SRT division from continuing to sell the “Hellcrate” engine and performance parts, and there’s no indication that it will stop.
Kuniskis said the current configuration of the Charger sedan, Challenger coupe and Durango SUV will not last through the 2023 model year. That said, the nameplates won’t necessarily end. Stellantis has already unveiled a fully electric charger, the new Daytona charger.
In addition, the next generation of Dodge vehicles will likely offer hybrid internal combustion powertrains. But the Dodge muscle’s peak performance won’t be the supercharged Hellcat, it won’t even use internal combustion. It will be the Banshee.
Is the Banshee a Dodge car?
The Banshee will be a badge designating Dodge’s most powerful eMuscle vehicles. Like Hellcat before it, multiple vehicles in Dodge’s lineup can carry the Banshee badge. We don’t know much about this powertrain, but it promises an 800+ volt system and will likely put out a lot more than the Hellcat’s 707 horsepower.
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Take the Dodge Charger Daytona for example. The automaker will offer the regular (non-SRT) Charger Daytona with a 400-volt powertrain. Buyers can then choose a trim level of 300 kW or 440 kW. These correspond to 456 hp and 590 hp respectively. Owners can then purchase aftermarket tunes from Dodge Direct Connection and unlock up to 670 horsepower.
The flagship version of the car is the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee. We don’t know much about this car, but we know that its powertrain will deliver twice as many volts: 800 in total. This voltage corresponds to how much power the vehicle can flow into or out of the battery. So if a 400-volt drivetrain can make 670 horsepower, you can start to imagine what the top end of an 800-volt drivetrain will be. Direct Connection will sell two levels of aftermarket kits to further increase this capability.
Does Dodge offer upgrades for its eMuscle cars?
Dodge’s Direct Connection aftermarket parts division is gearing up to offer upgrades for its eMuscle cars. These range from carbon fiber rims to performance keys that unlock more power.
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Charger Daytona buyers can then opt for the Dodge Direct Connection Stage 1 and Stage 2 tunes. These are simply a “crystal” key that you buy and plug into your dashboard. So if you order a 440 kW Daytona charger and purchase the Stage 2 upgrade, you can unlock a 500 kW (670 hp) powertrain. Here’s how the normal, non-SRT, 400-volt Charger Daytona power levels break down:
| Equipment Level | Kilowatt Rating | Equivalent horsepower |
| Charger Daytona 340 (base) | 340 kW | 455 hp |
| Charger Daytona 340 (eStage 1) | 370 kW | 495 hp |
| Charger Daytona 340 (eStage 2) | 400 kW | 535 hp |
| Charger Daytona 440 (base) | 440 kW | 590 hp |
| Charger Daytona 440 (eStage 1) | 479 kW | 630 hp |
| Charger Daytona 440 (eStage 2) | 500 kW | 670 hp |
Then check out the “Goes Like Hell” trim on Dodge’s Hornet SUV or watch NBC’s investigation into the Charger Daytona EV in the video below:
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