These Guys Drive the Charger EV to 34 Miles of Range, Nearest Charge Point 41 Miles Away

EV Trouble on the Road: Two Guys, a Charger Scat Pack, and a Risky 1,400-Mile Trip

Randy and Mike are experienced car rebuilders, but nothing could fully prepare them for what they were about to face. They took on a 1,400-mile road trip in a brand-new Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV—and it wasn’t smooth sailing.

Their mission? Drive 700 miles to pick up a Cadillac Escalade and then bring both vehicles home. The Charger is a high-performance electric vehicle with dual motors, 670 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 100.5-kWh battery that should give them up to 241 miles of driving on a full charge.

But range isn’t the only challenge.

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First Stop, First Problem

Their first charging stop was planned in Vinita, Oklahoma. They would later stop in Saint Louis, which is about a 7-hour drive—much longer in an EV that needs to recharge along the way.

Randy quickly found that the Charger makes a loud fake engine sound through its “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust.” He didn’t know how to turn it off. Then, things got worse. A “Service Transmission” message popped up on the dash. A tech friend from Stellantis said this was a common issue and could only be fixed with a software update—done at a dealership. No remote updates.

To fix it, technicians have to remove the front trunk, cooling fan, and some fuses. But the soonest they could get it looked at was the next day.

Dashboard Chaos and Range Anxiety

While driving, the warning message kept blocking the range display. When it did show up, they had 83 miles of range left. Soon, every warning light on the dashboard lit up. Randy joked, “This is a sign the car’s about to break itself.” Fortunately, the lights disappeared, leaving just the parking brake warning.

At the first charger, Randy couldn’t use his credit and had to pay 56 cents per kWh. Charging cost $34 and gave them 85% battery. But they heard strange cracking noises under the car while it charged.

At the next charger, a clanking noise came from the passenger door—another issue for the dealership. Charging this time cost 45 cents per kWh.

They made it to another Electrify America station, but the charger stopped working mid-charge. After five or six tries and seeing repeated “Charging Error” messages, they gave up and drove off.

Panic Sets In

Now with just 38 miles of range left, the car’s battery sat at 18%. They found a charging station, but it had a handwritten note saying it was broken—and that the next working charger was 41 miles away.

The problem? They only had 34 miles of range left.

Randy downloaded another charging app and added credit, but nothing worked. So, they shut off the air conditioning, slowed down to 55 mph, and crossed their fingers.

Traffic delays due to road work made things worse. With only 3% battery left and 8 miles of range remaining, they pushed forward.

A Close Call – and a Bit of Luck

They finally reached a GM Energy charger with just 2% battery. It took an hour and $43 to get to 84%. But it was now 4:42 PM, and the dealership closed at 5. Randy called ahead and got lucky—they’d stay open until 7.

The Escalade wasn’t in great shape, but it did run. Mike took the Charger, and Randy drove the Escalade back.

Their conclusion after the wild trip? The Charger Scat Pack is fun and comfy, but not a true muscle car. And while EVs are powerful, they’re not quite ready for long trips if you’re relying on public charging.

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