End of an Era: ‘That Thing Got a Hemi?’

"That thing got a Hemi"? Well, not for much longer. With growing electrification and hybrid efforts, the engine that has its own popular phrase is slowly being phased out.

The V-8 Hemi Engine has been a staple in the larger pickup truck offerings from Ram Truck.

In a recent report, Stellantis, the parent company of Ram Truck, noted it would no longer offer the Hemi V-8 engine for the 2025 model-year light-duty Ram pickup truck lineup. Six-cylinder combustion engines, the battery electric Ram REV, and the all-new Ramcharger replaced the engine.

The phase-out means the Hemi V-8 engine is still available in Ram HD truck options.

As electric purchases aren’t hitting the numbers most automakers originally anticipated, automakers like Ram are looking to plug-in hybrid electric models (like the Ramcharger) or other options, like another automaker’s compact hybrid pickup truck option, the Ford Maverick.  

Offered in 5.7L and 6.4L V-8 variants, the Hemi engine phase out starts in the first quarter of 2024. Reuters says the Hemi V-8 has been “central to light-duty Ram pickup marketing since 2003.”

The upcoming 2025 light-duty Ram trucks will be offered with a 3.0L, inline six-cylinder engine called the “Hurricane” line. The automaker notes the newer engine offers higher horsepower and torque than its larger counterpart.