Ram Revives Iconic Hemi V-8 Engine in Response to Customer Outcry and Sluggish Sales

In a surprising turn of events, Stellantis announced Thursday that it will be resurrecting the popular V-8 Hemi engine for its Ram 1500 full-size pickup trucks starting this summer. The decision comes after the company discontinued the 5.7-liter engine last year under ex-Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, amid tightening fuel economy regulations and a companywide push toward electric vehicles and more efficient engines.

Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, who recently unretired from the automaker, acknowledged that canceling the Hemi engine for the consumer-focused Ram 1500 was a misstep. “Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle them defines you. Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi — we own it and we fixed it,” Kuniskis stated in a press release. “We’re not just bringing back a legendary V-8 engine, we’re igniting an assertive product plan and expanding the freedom of choice in powertrain for our customers.”

The announcement marks the latest reversal in automakers’ plans this year, as EV adoption has been slower than anticipated and the Trump administration has sought to unwind many of former President ‘s initiatives to push the auto industry away from gas-guzzling internal combustion engines.

The Hemi announcement, which coincides with the automaker’s decision to delay plans for its electric trucks, is part of Kuniskis’ new product turnaround plan. This plan includes 25 product announcements over an 18-month period, according to the company. Ram’s sales have struggled for years due to price increases, production mishaps, and the decision to kill off the Hemi engine—a staple of the automaker and its predecessors since the 1950s.

Kuniskis expects the Hemi to represent 25% to 40% of the Ram 1500 pickup trucks’ sales. The engine will be offered as a $1,200 option on most models, while the more efficient twin-turbocharged, inline-six-cylinder engine called the Hurricane will continue to be available. A 3.6-liter V-6 engine will remain standard on entry-level models.

When Kuniskis returned to the company in December, his top priority was to bring the Hemi back into Ram trucks. Initially estimated to take 18 months, the company managed to cut the timeline down to six months through a special project team codenamed F15.

Unlike previous generations of the truck, the new vehicle will not feature “HEMI” on the side. Instead, the company has created a new badge featuring a ram’s head coming out of a Hemi engine, which they’re calling the “Symbol of Protest.” This new logo and name are an effort to regain customers who may have decided not to buy a Ram truck because the company attempted to push more efficient engines and EVs on them.

“They hate the fact that we took away the freedom of choice,” Kuniskis said at a press briefing. “We, as Americans, probably even more so truck buyers, hate the fact that we said, ‘This is the choice you get.'”

Despite the reintroduction of the Hemi engine, Kuniskis noted that the automaker is still expected to eventually offer electric or hybrid pickup trucks to assist in meeting emissions and fuel economy requirements for Ram. However, he declined to disclose an updated time frame following several delays.