When Ram brought the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 back to the 2026 Ram 1500, more than 10,000 people ordered one in the first 24 hours. It turned out that wasn't the end of the story — it was the opening move. The V8 is spreading across Stellantis, and the newest proof dropped this month.
The latest: a V8 Hellcat Charger for 2028
On October 12, 2026, Automotive News reported that Stellantis is planning a HEMI V8 Hellcat version of the Dodge Charger for 2028 — bringing the V8 back to the Charger after the variant was canceled in 2023. The read from the reporting is simple: Stellantis is leaning harder on the HEMI to win back the performance and muscle buyers it lost when it went all-in on six-cylinders and EVs.
It fits a pattern. Stellantis confirmed back in September 2025 that the HEMI nameplate was returning to active production — not just living on as a carryover — as part of a broader recalibration that put gas power back at the center of Dodge and Ram's near-term plans. The Charger news is that plan showing up on the product calendar.
It started with the Ram 1500
The truck side is where this all kicked off, and it's the part that matters most around here. After dropping the V8 for the 2025 model year, Ram reversed course for 2026. Brand CEO Tim Kuniskis didn't spin it — "Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI," he said, and the company fixed it.
The 2026 Ram 1500 HEMI brings back the 5.7-liter V8 with eTorque, making 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft (plus up to 130 lb-ft of supplemental torque from the 48-volt mild-hybrid system), and it tows up to around 11,500 pounds. It's offered across nearly the entire lineup — Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel, Limited, and Longhorn — for roughly a $1,200 upgrade on most trims, and as a no-cost option on Limited and Longhorn. Every HEMI truck even wears a new fender badge Ram calls the "Symbol of Protest."
Three HEMIs in the truck lineup
Here's what makes Ram's position unusual right now: it's the only brand fielding three distinct HEMI V8 muscle trucks. The 5.7-liter in the regular 1500, and the monster 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI making 777 horsepower in two trucks — the reborn 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX and the Rumble Bee SRT. Where the rest of the industry spent years downsizing, Ram doubled down on cubic inches and supercharger whine.
And it's working. Ram 1500 sales have surged on the HEMI's return — the V8 captured the majority of 1500 orders and helped swing the whole brand back toward growth while much of the market slid. Reports of the V8's death, as they say, were greatly exaggerated.
Got a HEMI Ram? Light it up.
If you're one of the thousands who ordered a HEMI 1500, here's our angle as lighting people. That truck is built to work and play hard — towing before sunrise, running a two-track to camp after dark, hitting a jobsite that doesn't have lights. Like every factory pickup, it rolls off the lot with headlights tuned for the highway, not the trail.
So we built a dedicated kit lineup for the 2026+ HEMI Ram 1500 — bolt-on, no cutting or drilling. Start with the grille light bar, in PRO or SLIM:
Then add ditch lights to wash the sides — Standard or PRO:
A V8 that sounds that good deserves to see where it's going.
FAQ: The HEMI V8 Comeback
Is the HEMI really coming back to the Dodge Charger?
Per an October 2026 Automotive News report, Stellantis is planning a V8 Hellcat version of the Charger for 2028, reviving the HEMI V8 after it was dropped from the Charger in 2023. It's not yet officially confirmed by Dodge.
What HEMI does the 2026 Ram 1500 have?
The 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with eTorque — 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft — available across nearly the whole lineup for about a $1,200 upgrade (no charge on Limited and Longhorn).
Do you make lighting for the HEMI Ram 1500?
Yes — a dedicated 2026+ HEMI Ram 1500 lineup: a 40in grille light bar (PRO or SLIM) and ditch lights (Standard or PRO), all bolt-on with no drilling.
Which Ram trucks have the 777-hp HEMI?
The 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI making 777 hp powers the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX and the Rumble Bee SRT.
Shop the Build — 2026+ HEMI Ram 1500
Bolt-on, no cutting or drilling:
- HEMI 40in Light Bar PRO ($604.99) · SLIM ($349.99) — the grille bar
- HEMI Ditch Lights · Ditch Lights PRO ($109.99) — light the sides
- Wireless 8-Switch Harness — control it all from the cab
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