In the world of high performance, lightness, as we know, is everything. It’s the secret ingredient that makes iconic cars like the Mazda MX-5 or Porsche 718 Boxster fun to drive. These are examples that show how you don’t need monstrous power, but rather a contained mass to enhance agility and dynamism. A lesson that, perhaps, the Dodge Charger Daytona has decided to interpret in exactly the opposite way.
Dodge Charger Daytona vs Tesla Model 3 Performance: when weight kills electric muscle
When you enter the field of high-performance electric cars, the situation becomes complicated. Electric vehicles must carry around bulky and extremely heavy battery packs, which often exceed 1,100 lbs (500 kg) on their own. Even with more powerful motors, inertia remains a difficult obstacle to overcome.
The video published by Edmunds offers a direct comparison between two opposite approaches to zero-emission performance. On one side is the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack, which presents itself as the first true electric muscle car, and on the other is the 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance, a sporty four-door sedan with understated lines but effective mechanics.
On paper, the Dodge Charger boasts impressive numbers: 670 hp and 642 lb-ft (870 Nm) of torque. The Tesla, meanwhile, stops at 510 hp and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm). But then weight comes in to change the rules of the game: the Charger approaches 5,950 lbs (2,700 kg), while the Model 3 tips the scales at about 3,970 lbs (1,800 kg).
The field test is simple but telling. A classic quarter-mile sprint, braking, U-turn, and return to the starting point yields a terrifying result for the Charger. Two rounds, with driver swap to balance the results. And the verdict is clear: the Tesla dominates in acceleration and braking management, while the Charger only manages to distinguish itself in corners, where its setup shows some potential.
Not only mass, but also the economic factor weighs heavily. In fact, the Dodge Charger Daytona in Scat Pack version starts at a price of almost $86,000, while the Model 3 Performance is offered at just over $56,000, providing four doors, superior performance, and greater efficiency.
