--- title: "V8 Dodge Charger Coming Back in 2026 After Cold EV Reception: Report" date: "2025-03-25" modified: "2025-03-25" authors: - name: "Byron Hurd" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/byron-hurd" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/v8-dodge-charger-coming-back-in-2026-after-cold-ev-reception-report" categories: - "Dodge News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "charger" - "dodge" - "sedan" --- # V8 Dodge Charger Coming Back in 2026 After Cold EV Reception: Report ![]() *Bradley Iger* Another day, another Hemi rumor. Hot on the heels of [yesterday's report]() that Hemi production is slated to restart later this year, *MoparInsiders* is [now claiming]() that we could see the V8 return to the Dodge Charger for the 2026 model year. This report comes without any details of which Hemis may return to the Charger, when, or for how much money—nor does it mention a source. But as we reported Monday, there's an awful lot of smoke coming out of Hemi-dom. At some point, one has no choice but to suspect a fire. But don't run to your dealer just yet; you're going to need to wait until the hurricane passes. Sorry, that should be Hurricane (capital H). As *MoparInsiders* points out, the new turbocharged six-cylinder engine slated to take over ICE duties at Stellantis is still part of the picture, and with the company working hard to ramp up production of its Ram pickups, there's zero chance that production of the Hurricane will be interrupted to rush production of the V8s. Ram needs trucks to sell *now*. Conveniently, there's no overlap between the two engine lines. The Hurricane I6 is produced in Saltillo, Mexico, where tooling for the old Hemi lineup was removed to make room for the new engine. But critically, that means you shouldn't expect a Hemi-powered Charger for the 2025 model year. Even if production of the 5.7-liter, supercharged 6.2-liter, and 6.4-liter Apache V8 comes online at the company’s Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan in August as planned, there's a lot more that goes into offering a new powertrain than fitting it into the car. As Dodge CEO Matt McAlear [reminded us back in February](), it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. “You can’t just turn something on that wasn’t there before,” McAlear said. “Even if we were to say we wanted to do it today, pick any engine. A V10. A four-cylinder. It’s a year-and-a-half, two-year development cycle, right?” Put another way? Be patient. Even if production comes online by the end of the year, there are other things to consider. For starters, the Charger may be the ultimate destination for the Hemi, but it's far from the only passenger vehicle under the Stellantis umbrella that might get a shot in the arm from a revived Hemi. The Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee are both candidates, and the [dealer leak]() we reported earlier in March suggested that we'll see the return of other specialty V8 models—namely the Wrangler Rubicon 392. Maybe we'll even see a 392-powered Gladiator before Jeep puts this generation to bed. You won't be able to afford one, but hey. Neat, right? *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories. He brings a light, punchy style to all of his content, believing that there's plenty out there to be laughed at—himself included. Born and raised in Maryland but now based just a stone's throw from Detroit, Byron is an auto enthusiast and generalist who enjoys building and tinkering with things of all kinds, from cars, computers and digital cityscapes, to the new garage that will soon house his fleet (a CT4-V Blackwing, a JK Wrangler and an NA Miata). Inspired by an early love of rollercoasters, Byron quickly caught the high-performance driving itch. He's been tracking and auto-crossing his cars since 2007. In his downtime, Byron enjoys reading, playing city builders, and studying the history of the Motor City. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()