Dodge CEO Matt McAlear has all but confirmed what we already suspected. The American carmaker is leaning back into combustion-powered cars, and a Hemi V-8-powered Charger is very much back on the table.
While McAlear didn't outright substantiate rumors of the V-8's return to the Charger, it was heavily implied. When asked during a press conference whether a Hellcat V-8 would fit in the engine bay, McAlear simply replied, "Don't be surprised if it would fit."
The statement represents a shift in messaging from Dodge. A representative for the brand previously told Jalopnik in 2024 that the Hemi could not physically fit inside the engine bay. As it turns out, that wasn't entirely accurate.
"That's the beauty of this platform," McAlear added. "Some can say we're lucky, some can say we're smart. We did not commit to one technology, one powertrain. A lot went into this platform from the beginning to be able to evolve over time and flex with consumer demand and changes in regulatory [policy]."
With the Trump administration stripping essentially all EPA regulation and enforcement, automakers now have free rein to return to gas-guzzling engines without fear of being penalized. Dodge's sister brand Ram has already taken that step, announcing the Hemi's return to the 1500 pickup truck.
"With the change in the administration, it's no secret that we're absolutely flexing into ICE production right now," McAlear said. "But we are not walking away from the power, the performance, and the excitement that battery electric provides."
While Dodge has not signaled any plans to drop the Charger Daytona EV, faltering sales forced the brand to accelerate development of the straight-six-powered Charger Sixpack. That car, which was originally supposed to go on sale in 2026, will now hit dealers starting in the fourth quarter of this year. It'll also be about 10 grand cheaper than the EV, with a starting price of $51,990.
It's unclear how much a V-8-powered Charger would cost, though considering the V-8 in the 2026 Ram 1500 is just a $1,200 option, we're not expecting a huge delta. As for when a Hemi-powered Charger can arrive, we suspect sooner rather than later. Stellantis execs have seen demand for the Hemi Ram explode, so they'll likely want to capitalize on that through other areas of the business. Expect an official announcement before the end of the year.
