Phasing Out the Dodge Hemi V8

We discussed in a previous blog the news that FCA was ending Hellcat production in 2023 and going to replace the product line with a new series of all muscle car EVs. Now the latest news is shortly after that happens, FCA will cease gas-burning Hemi V8 production in cars and trucks. Happy New Year, everyone – the EV craze is already delivering us soccer-style kicks to the sensitive area between our legs. But past our own affection for these V8s, is this a smart move by FCA?

What Is a Dodge Hemi?

ABOVE: The possible replacement for the Hemi V8 in the Dodge trucks could be this recently patented turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that is supposedly in the works. While the theoretical horsepower and torque numbers say it could, in reality can this engine serve as a legit replacement for the Hemi V8 and hold up just as well without costing owners a fortune in maintenance?

The first thing to look at is how/what the FCA is going to replace the Hemi V8 with. Right now, the word is the big V8 will be replaced with a newly developed turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine. There’s a bit of irony to that one, the future replacement of the V8 being based on one of the oldest basic engine configurations (the straight six) that fell out of favor in the 1970s for more compact V6 engines. Outside the basic configuration, it does follow the trend of getting big engine power out of smaller ones with the aid of boost via turbocharging or supercharging. Going with an inline-six design offers several benefits, including smooth harmonics that reduce internal stress and wear. The design also allows for multiple displacements easily achieved via bore and stroke changes and won’t have a limiting displacement ceiling like four cylinders have.

The downside of using boost to achieve the same horsepower and torque output as a larger, naturally aspirated engine is the increased amount of stress it places on an engine. There’s also the extra maintenance typically required by boosted engines, especially with turbochargers. A benefit of the smaller, turbocharged engines is the claim of much-improved fuel economy. While the “official” MPG numbers support this, owner testimonials are all over the map. The common thread in all the feedback seems to be that fuel economy numbers depend on driving style, i.e., having disciplined use of your right foot whenever possible. The downside to that is when light to moderate throttle is applied, boost levels are lower, which means power output is lower. While in a car this might not be a big deal, but in a full-size truck, it can be, especially when hauling a load and/or towing a trailer. But this is a discussion/debate for another blog.

ABOVE: The 5.7 Dodge Hemi Engine has been the mainstay of the Dodge truck fleet since 2003, when it replaced the old 360/5.9L Magnum V8. But like its Hellcat derivatives, the 5.7L and the 6.2L could very soon be phased out of use entirely in the trucks for a small displacement turbocharged engine. Will this prove to be a good move by Dodge, or will it be a mistake influenced by current anti-internal combustion engine sentiments and the push for full EV conversion?

Back to the main topic, is FCA letting itself be sucked into the EV hysteria and ending V8 production to try and placate a crowd that wouldn’t buy a V8 truck anyway? Or perhaps is there some Federal Government influence being exerted? Lots of room for debate there, but for a lot of truck owners (where the majority of Hemi V8s are installed), there’s likely to be pushback on this move. While the Hemi might not be the most fuel-efficient engine in the world or the cleanest when it comes to emissions (though the modern Hemi is pretty clean, especially when compared to older V8s) that naturally aspirated Hemi hauls loads and trailers effectively and usually without having to work as hard to do it like a small-displacement turbocharged V6 engine does. On top of that, there is the relatively low maintenance cost of the 5.7 Hemi HP, especially important for work trucks and other commercial vehicles.

Is this the End of the 5.7 Dodge Hemi Engine?

In considering all this, it has to be a likely scenario that the Hemi would only be phased out initially in half-ton trucks and still soldier on in the 2500 and 3500 series heavy-duty trucks. But then again, as the decision-makers get swept up in the EV craze, could we see an accelerated plan to phase out the V8s in all trucks and leave the only option for a new truck to be an entirely electric vehicle? Something similar to Ford’s new Lighting that claims to power your house and still have enough juice to get you around. But one of the big looming questions on that is whether the nation’s power grid, which all these EVs will be hooked into for charging, can handle that drastically increased electrical load. We already saw in 2021 when California asked EV owners in fire danger areas NOT to charge their vehicles to reduce the risk of fires started by hot power lines.

Then again, maybe this new inline-six will surprise us all and be like the old Slant Six was back in the day, except with a lot more power.