That bold choice to create one vehicle that could be built on either gasoline or electric power wasn’t just a marketing move. It was a technical tour de force. At its heart is Audrey Moore, Vice President and Program Chief Vehicle Engineer for the Charger, who led the development of both versions. Moore and her team faced a challenge that few automakers have attempted: designing a muscle car that could deliver the visceral power Dodge fans crave, either through gas engines or electric motors.
One platform, two personalities
Dodge’s multi-energy approach meant building one car that could serve two masters. It sounds simple in theory, but in practice becomes a labyrinth when balancing a transmission, driveshaft and exhaust on one version and a huge battery pack and motors on the other.
“We wanted to try to keep a high level of commonality for the core structure and then have the fun and variations for things that would be unique to the BEV and the ICE.”
– Audrey Moore, vice president and vehicle engineer program chief, Dodge
The challenge was to decide what could stay the same and what needed to change. The suspension and body structure are shared, but the powertrain layout differs dramatically. The Daytona features Dodge’s Fratzonic exhaust with chambers to generate sound, while the Sixpack Scat Pack relies on a dual active mode exhaust to produce its signature growl. The result is two different experiences that still feel unmistakably Dodge: one hums with quiet torque and the other rumbles with turbocharged combustion.
Technology The impossible
For Moore, the biggest hurdle was packaging. Building a single platform meant making room for everything from a 100-kilowatt battery to the 3.0-liter Hurricane engine and all-wheel drive system without compromise.
“You start thinking about the puzzle you have to make to put it all together.”
– Audrey Moore, vice president and vehicle engineer program chief, Dodge
Both vehicles share the same cooling systems and much of their underlying structure, but each required its own unique components. The process tested Dodge’s ingenuity and proved that flexibility does not have to mean dilution. The result isn’t one car that just happens to have two powertrains, it’s two cars that just happen to share the same spirit.
Lessons for the future
Now that both versions have been launched, Moore sees the development of the Charger as a foundation for what comes next at Dodge. The lessons learned from this program could influence what the brand builds in the future.
“This multi-energy platform has the ability to deliver significantly different options.”
– Audrey Moore, vice president and vehicle engineer program chief, Dodge
It shows that Dodge can evolve without giving up the rebellious attitude that made it famous. Moore describes the platform as a gateway that allows the brand to innovate without losing its essence.
Winning the skeptics
Dodge knew that not everyone would be ready to plug in. For many lifelong fans, an electric charger sounded like the end of an era. The Six Pack changes that narrative and proves that Dodge’s electric ambitions don’t come at the expense of traditional power.
“They are two very different cars, but they are the same car. The electrical energy of the BEV with that instant torque feels different to that of the ICE, but I think we can appeal to both.”
– Audrey Moore, vice president and vehicle engineer program chief, Dodge
That middle ground gives Dodge something that no rival currently offers: real choice. There are those who will stick with the V-8 forever, but even Moore admits that group is shrinking. The numbers speak for themselves; the Sixpack Scat Pack outperforms the outgoing V-8-powered model in almost every respect. That’s hard to ignore.
“Everything we delivered on the Scat Pack is better or higher or faster than the outgoing Scat Pack with the V-8 in it.”
– Audrey Moore, vice president and vehicle engineer program chief, Dodge
Her advice for diehards is simple: give it a try. Dodge heard the question about a gas engine and answered. The Six Pack proves that progress does not have to come at the expense of identity.
The human touch
For all the technical complexity behind the Charger, Moore’s favorite feature is something much simpler and much more personal. Inside, the ambient lighting in the interior allows the driver to adjust the car’s atmosphere to suit their own mood.
“There are days when you’re driving in your car and you want to race to AC/DC on red, and then there’s a day when you’ve had a hard day and you just want blue.”
– Audrey Moore, vice president and vehicle engineer program chief, Dodge
It’s a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the new Charger’s personality. Whether racing down an open road or gliding silently through the city, it’s a car that adapts to the driver’s mood, a blend of raw performance and modern refinement that reflects where Dodge is going.
The 2026 Dodge Charger is more than a return to form. It’s a redefinition of what a muscle car can be in an age of transition where past and future coexist under one badge. Moore and her team not only built two versions of the Charger, they created a roadmap for how Dodge can honor its roots while moving forward.
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