HEMI V8 Engine Said to Return to Dodge Charger, Too
The venerable HEMI V8 is still alive at Dodge thanks to the 2025 Durango, but customers turning to the new Dodge Charger Daytona don’t have this option. Instead, they get a fully electric powertrain, although a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine will be available soon. The latter will power Charger Sixpack models set to launch in the second half of 2025.
That’s what the company is officially saying at the moment. However, according to a report from Mopar Insiders, it’s apparently working to bring eight-cylinder Chargers back to market in late 2026.
- Also: HEMI V8 Reportedly Returning in Ram 1500
- Also: HEMI V8 Isn’t Dead Yet, Dodge to Extend Production Into 2025
With production moving from Saltillo, Mexico to the Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan, the report goes on to suggest that 5.7-litre, 6.4-litre (392) and supercharged 6.2-litre variants of the HEMI will all return to the Charger, meaning the Hellcats will roar again.
In the meantime, the battery-powered Charger Daytona R/T and Daytona Scat Pack are the stars with up to 496 hp and 670 hp, respectively. The upcoming Hurricane-equipped Charger Sixpack S.O. (420 hp) and Sixpack H.O. (550 hp) are expected to enter production in May with the first deliveries starting in the summer.
The HEMI V8 has largely been phased out by Stellantis-owned brands as former CEO Carlos Tavares (who notoriously resigned late last year) pushed for more advanced and more fuel-efficient powertrain solutions.
That’s the case with the 2025 Ram 1500, among others. However, people familiar with the matter told us a couple of weeks ago that the HEMI V8 engines will return to the lineup later this year, most likely for the 2026 model year.