Dodge's revamped Charger Daytona website resembles a promotional CD-ROM from 1999.
Stellantis
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The new Dodge Charger Daytona EV is having difficulty appealing to enthusiasts, as the old, discontinued Charger and Challenger models have outsold it in the first quarter of the year. Stellantis is offering substantial incentives for the few buyers willing to purchase it. Furthermore, selling the electric muscle car may become more challenging in the short term, especially with some customers likely holding out for the inline-six model and the much-speculated return of the Hemi. Nonetheless, Dodge is making every effort to boost sales, including launching an “interactive” web experience reminiscent of promotional CD-ROMs from 25 years ago.
When you visit DodgeChargerPortal.com, the first thing that greets you is a loading bar, followed by an engine start button to click, and then another loading bar. Once you get past those, you’ll encounter a virtual showroom where you can learn about the new Charger EV. There’s Garrett, our poorly isolated host against a green screen, a blurry JPG of a Charger that can be rotated with a click-and-drag action, and a room to explore.
If you’ve used an automaker’s online configurator in the last 15 years, much of this will not be new to you—highlighting just how strange Dodge’s approach is. On my PC, it opened in a tiny window resembling a Sega CD game, complete with loading times after nearly every action. Interested in a “deep dive” on charging? Loading bar. Want to check out the interior? More loading. Curious about different factory wheel options? More loading, plus the rims you select don’t correlate to the car you’re actually configuring.
Navigation can be quite perplexing. Stellantis
My PlayStation 5 can render the entire Nürburgring Nordschleife and a field of 20 cars in Gran Turismo 7 almost instantaneously; so why, in an age of fiber-optic internet and HTML5, does this “portal” function like a Macromedia Flash point-and-click game from two decades ago?
Mobile users may have a somewhat better experience; on mobile, the site occupies the full screen and you can navigate by moving and tilting your device, similar to a virtual reality app. However, the loading speed remains disappointingly slow regardless of the device. Anyone looking for information on a Charger Daytona would find Dodge’s regular site far more useful than these blurry graphics and voiceovers that frequently cut off mid-sentence.
At least the website displays properly on mobile. Stellantis
Then there's the video section, where you can watch a couple of ads for the Charger that have been available on YouTube for some time. One ad, titled “Save the Planet,” starts with a typical corporate pledge about making EVs to promote positive environmental impact. However, it’s not long before Dodge contradicts this message, which might catch some viewers off guard if they weren’t already aware of the brand’s pattern throughout the confusing Charger EV marketing saga. The irony is on anyone worried about climate change or their children’s futures. Go ahead, Dodge—you don’t need their money, as your campaign against ‘woke’ notions has been so profitable of late.
That said, the site seems to be concealing one teaser. If you look to the right of the “home page,” you’ll spot a Charger covered with a tarp, featuring a blurry logo on a nearby wall. Forum members over at MoparInsiders have speculated that it resembles the insignia of a new Barracuda model, and it does appear to look somewhat like an angry fish if you can see through the poor resolution. For years, there have been rumors about the return of the ‘Cuda name in some form, and this hint seems to add fuel to that speculation.
Notice the logo to the left of the garage door? It sort of resembles a fish, mid…turn? Stellantis
Whatever the case may be, the Dodge Charger Portal is available for anyone eager to check out 2025’s most contentious EV in a decidedly retro style. Dodge is expected to promote this virtual experience more prominently this week alongside the New York Auto Show, and if you visit any dealerships in the upcoming months, you might also find QR codes in the showroom linking to the site, according to Automotive News.
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Dodge's revamped Charger Daytona website resembles a promotional CD-ROM from 1999.
Who can say if this will actually boost sales for Dodge Charger EVs, but I haven't witnessed this much loading since the demise of Flash Player.