A barely-driven Charger Daytona EV just hit the auction block with a smashed face and a story to tell.
The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T Stage 1 in question shows just 682 miles on its digital odometer. Someone’s six-figure electric muscle car experiment ended abruptly against something solid in Texas.
Now it sits on an Insurance Auto Auction site, front end crumpled but drivetrain apparently intact.
Superficial Wounds or Terminal Diagnosis?
The damage appears largely cosmetic. Front bumper, grille, and hood took the brunt of the impact.
Yes, the driver’s side airbag deployed. But the critical components – the dual electric drive modules and 93.9 kWh battery pack – appear unscathed in the auction photos.
This isn’t just any Charger EV. It’s a First Edition model with Demonic Red seats and the full complement of option packages:
- Plus Group
- Sun & Sound
- Blacktop Package
All the fancy bits that pushed this electron-powered muscle car well north of its base price.
Accelerator Issues Lurking?
The timing raises eyebrows. TK’s Garage on YouTube recently highlighted claims from Charger Daytona EV owners about a software glitch causing accelerator pedals to stick.
The allegations suggest unintended acceleration events that Dodge and parent Stellantis allegedly know about but haven’t officially addressed.
No recall exists. No stop-sale order issued.
Whether this particular crash resulted from such an issue remains pure speculation. But the coincidence can’t be ignored when multiple Daytona EVs with similar damage are appearing at salvage auctions.
The HEMI Swap Temptation
Enthusiast forums are buzzing with a different kind of speculation: could this wreck become the first Charger Daytona EV to receive a HEMI V8 transplant?
The chassis architecture might accommodate it. The engine bay dimensions suggest possibility.
Imagine the irony – Dodge’s electric future converted back to rumbling V8 glory by someone with enough mechanical skill and a perverse sense of humor.
The 496 horsepower electric drivetrain would give way to supercharged HEMI fury, transforming a failed EV experiment into the ultimate automotive rebellion.
For the right buyer with the right skills, this crashed Daytona represents either a bargain electric muscle car repair or the blank canvas for the most controversial engine swap of 2025.
Either way, its days of quiet cruising appear numbered.
