Ram Is Talking About Hemi V8s In Half-Ton Trucks A Lot Lately

At the 2025 Detroit Auto Show, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis hinted the Hemi V8 could make a comeback under the hood of the 1500.

Despite the collective hope, Kuniskis was quick to point out that significant challenges remain. The Hemi V8, which once found itself in 85% of all Ram 1500 pickups sold, faces integration challenges with the new truck's redesigned electrical architecture.

"Number one, the Hemi was never designed to run in that truck on that electrical architecture, so that’s a huge challenge," Kuniskis told Motor1. "They shut down production on that particular Hemi, the eTorque. There's supplier work because when you shut something down, suppliers shut down their assembly lines, and they switch to something else."

For now, Ram 1500 buyers can turn to the standard-output 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six delivering 420 horsepower. Alternatively, those seeking V-8 power can look to Ram’s HD lineup, which still offers the 405-hp 6.4-liter Hemi.

“Honestly, the bigger issue is not Hemi vs. T6,” Kuniskis said in a different interview with Road & Track. “The bigger issue is we took away a fundamental American thing. Americans love freedom of choice more than anything. When you take away their freedom of choice and tell them ‘you must take this,’ they revolt.

"Whether it makes sense or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s anti-American, you’ve taken my flag away, f*** you. It doesn’t mean they are making an irrational decision, maybe they are, maybe they aren’t, I don’t know. But we as Americans, that’s what we do.”

While Kuniskis certainly left the door open for the Hemi V8 to return to the Ram 1500, he's more concerned with getting the truck's full production online before any decisions are made.

The plant has prioritized simpler, lower-trim models to expedite production, however, those trims don't pull the same high-profit margins as premium variants. Until the 1500's full lineup is rolling out the door Ram's executive team can't accurately understand the actual demand for the missing Hemi.

For now, Ram will stay focused on stabilizing production—but as the old adage goes, where there's smoke, there's fire.

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