The Hemi Is Back! Ram Adds a V8 Option for 2026

• Ram's 5.7-liter Hemi V8 returns for the 2026 model year.
• The V8 makes 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque.
• It's available in all Ram models except the RHO and Tungsten.

But it wasn’t that easy. The first actual plan said it would take about 18 months to get a V8 back into a Ram. Not satisfied, Kuniskis put together a team led by former Ford SVT employee Darryl Smith, now the special program technical manager for the Hemi project, and they brought the timeline down to six months. The Hemi will arrive this summer on the 2026 Ram 150 0 Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Limited and Longhorn, with the Rebel joining later this year.

The V8 engine will be a $1,200 option over the more powerful and efficient 3.0-liter standard-output twin-turbo inline-six, itself a $1,695 jump from the 3.6-liter V6 base engine. The Limited and Longhorn models that come standard with the high-output version of the inline-six engine can swap for the Hemi at no additional charge. The only two Ram variants that won't get the V8 option are the RHO and Tungsten.

The Hemi V8 will only be available with eTorque mild hybrid technology and, like before, will deliver 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. The eTorque hybrid motor-generator unit place of the alternator and works with a 48-volt battery pack to aid with startup and takeoff power. It can add up to 130 lb-ft of torque and recoups energy under braking. Ram also says the eTorque system enhances shifts, improves fuel-saving cylinder deactivation, and smooths transitions under acceleration and braking, which helps reduce noise, vibration and harshness. However, all new vehicles with Hemis also include the GT sport exhaust, so there might be a trade-off.

Equipped with the Hemi V8, the 2026 Ram 1500 has a maximum towing capacity of up to 11,470 pounds and maximum payload capacity of 1,750 pounds.

Along with the return of the Hemi comes a new fender-mounted badge; Ram is calling it the "Symbol of Protest" for bringing back its V8 during a time of engine downsizing. Kuniskis talked about the loyalty of Ram truck buyers — somewhere around 75% — and that when you lose them by discontinuing their favorite engine, it's hard to get them back. He also mentioned that people are keeping their vehicles longer and financing them for longer than ever before.

"It's way more efficient to hold on to those customers and make sure that those 3.6 million people have a reason to come back and buy your new truck, because you're giving them that option," Kuniskis said. "Whether they take it to that option or not, give them that option, then we’ll focus on the other stuff that we're going to do that will keep them in the brand."