Stellantis postponing production of Dodge Charger Daytona R/T for 2026 model year
Automaker Stellantis is postponing production of the Dodge Charger Daytona R/T at its assembly plant in Windsor, Ont., for the 2026 model year, saying it continues to assess the effects of U.S. tariff policies.
However, the company said it is continuing to produce other versions of the electric Dodge Charger muscle car at the plant.
Stellantis said there will be no effect on employment at the Windsor facility.
Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said the company will focus on the Charger Daytona Scat Pack, the addition of a new four-door Charger model for the 2026 model year and the new Charger Sixpack models that will launch in the second half of the year.
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The postponement is unsurprising, said automotive analyst Daniel Ross, who called the Dodge Charger R/T model 'a tough vehicle to sell in the market.'
'A two-door electric vehicle in this market and this climate for affordability is a really tough sell,' said Ross, senior manager of auto industry insights at Canadian Black Book.
'In the enthusiast niche of the market, EVs are a tough sell in general. I think a lot of consumers in this part of the market bleed gasoline. It's not necessarily an electric vehicle's haven for adoption.'
Dodge lists the starting price of the model at $57,790 on its website.
'Riveting horsepower, incredible torque, and modern tech come together for pure muscle car performance,' the page reads.
But Ross said the Charger Daytona R/T model is a lower-performance version compared with the Charger Daytona Scat Pack model, which Stellantis said it will continue to produce uninterrupted.
The postponement of Daytona R/T production comes as automakers work to adapt to U.S. tariffs on the sector.
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Stellantis halted work at its auto assembly plant in Windsor for a week earlier this month after also shutting it for two weeks when Trump first imposed the tariffs in early April.
Ross said domestic manufacturers like Stellantis have been hit hard by tariffs, which likely contributed to the company's decision on the postponement.
He said Stellantis probably also determined it was more difficult to sell the Daytona R/T model in the current market due to the unavailability of certain federal incentives.
In January, the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles Program was paused as Ottawa said it had fully committed the funds it allocated for it.
The program, launched in 2019, offered consumers who buy or lease an eligible zero-emission vehicle with an incentive of up to $5,000 for longer-range plug-in hybrid vehicles or up to $2,500 for shorter range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
The absence of those incentives have 'put more pressure on this specific trim and really has required some hard questions to be asked,' said Ross.
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'I don't think anyone has the answers of how this car makes sense in this market today,' he said.
'There is hope for EVs overall moving forward, but if you take the EV in comparison to the vehicle enthusiast mindset, this is the last vehicle that should be electrified. The earlier it comes down the line, the less takers you're going to have.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
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