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Ram is finding its footing again after being dealt a blow by Stellantis management requiring the truck brand to shift away from V8 engines and focus on the twin-turbocharged Hurricane straight-six. Even if that engine is quantifiably better at towing, hauling, and returning stronger power figures and better fuel economy, it still isn’t a V8.
At the relaunch of the Hemi in the Ram 1500, the engine returned in mild-hybrid eTorque form. The 48-volt system provided an extra jolt of power to boost torque output when needed, while keeping the 12-volt battery topped up and accessories running. Stellantis Head of American Brands Tim Kuniskis has decided to offer the V8 without mild-hybrid assistance on cheaper models to keep costs low and profitability high.
What Does This Mean for Me?
If you’re a prospective Ram 1500 buyer, and you really want that burbly Hemi V8, you won’t have to pay the current $2,895 premium the company charges to slot one under the hood. Both the 3.6-liter V6 and 5.7-liter V8 engines come equipped with Ram’s eTorque mild hybrid system, which returns many added benefits, but drives up the price for consumers.
Hemi buyers likely don’t care all too much about losing the little fuel savings gained from the system, as well as the extra oomph that will go missing on models lacking the hybrid system. Shoppers eyeing the Rumble Bee will be in for a treat as the base model 5.7-liter Hemi V8 won't have the eTorque system, as well as the base Express models, which Kuniskis inferred in an interview with The Drive.
As of now, the future of the eTorque system is unknown. We don't know whether Ram might take the system away from other grades, or if it will remain an option on models with the 5.7-liter V8. The Pentastar V6 in the Ram 1500 is only available with eTorque, and there's no sign of that changing.
How Does the eTorque System Work?
On new 1500 trucks, the V6 and V8 engines come standard with the eTorque belt-driven mild hybrid system. This is a different operation from a traditional hybrid system that is charged solely by brake regeneration. The eTorque system is charged mainly by an accessory belt driven by the engine in addition to having brake regen. The eTorque generator replaces the alternator, taking over the job of generating the power required to spin the electric motor and keep the 12-volt battery charged when the engine is running.
A battery pack supporting the 48-volt hybrid system sits in the back of the cab under the rear seats. When paired with V6 engines, the system adds an extra 12 hp and 39 lb-ft of torque. With V8 engines, it’s a boost of 16 hp and 49 lb-ft.
Every second, the system’s brain has already made 200 decisions about whether to send power to the electric motor to fill gaps in torque left by any latency in the powertrain, or to the battery. The electric motor used to power the gasoline engine ensures smoother starts from a standstill when the auto-stop-start feature is active.
While it returns only 1.7 ounces in fuel savings at each stop, you gain nearly 2 tanks worth (roughly 55 gallons) of fuel if you get stuck at enough traffic lights every day, something both Wards Auto and Car and Driver shared when the system first debuted in late 2018/early 2019.
The Future of Hybrid Ram Trucks
Likened to a freight train, the upcoming Ram 1500 REV touts an absurd 14,000 pounds of towing capacity for a quarter-ton truck. The gasoline and electric powertrain operate as in any range-extended vehicle, but it’s never been put to work in a pickup. Electric motors turn the wheels, with the gasoline engine fired up to charge the battery when a plug is nowhere in sight.
The figures accompanying that high tow rating are an estimated 690 miles of range and a maximum payload capacity of 2,625 pounds. Its two electric motors, mounted on the front and rear axles, produce a combined output of 647 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque and are powered by a 92-kilowatt-hour battery. A Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 spins a 130-kilowatt generator to keep the battery charged.
Other products in the works are a Wagoneer-based three-row SUV for the Ram brand, which, if all powertrains carry over, would include a range-extender variant. The Grand Wagoneer REEV will use the same system as the Ram 1500 REV, delivering similar performance and range. The SUV's launch has since been delayed, though, to address quality issues.
As for smaller pickups, word of the engines powering the upcoming Dakota mid-size pickup hasn’t reached our desks. We know the upcoming Dakota will be built at Stellantis’ Toledo, Ohio, facility alongside the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator pickup, with powertrains likely to include the 3.6-liter V6 and 2.0-liter inline-four. The eTorque system was previously available on Wranglers but has since been discontinued. The plug-in-hybrid 4xe models spanned from 2021 to 2025, with no replacement mentioned.
The REV variant will have some competition when it finally arrives. Ford is incorporating a gasoline engine into the F-150 Lightning to make it a range-extender, and into the upcoming Scout Traveler and Terra, which will debut with an all-electric powertrain and a range-extender gasoline engine. General Motors, on the other hand, stepped away from this sort of hybrid design after it discontinued the Chevrolet Volt. The Silverado EV is sticking around as is, with no plans to add a gasoline motor anytime soon.
New Patent Reveals Ram’s Still Working on PHEVs
Sure, range-extender vehicles are technically plug-in hybrids, but the industry likes to place them in a separate subcategory of electric vehicles. As for plug-in hybrids, a patent filed August 5, 2025, revealed a two-motor PHEV system where electric motors bookend the transmission for a smoother transfer of power to the wheels before and after a gear change occurs. This creates two distinct advantages for systems with an electric motor between the engine and transmission, and between the transmission and the driveshaft.
“A big problem with hybrids, especially long-range PHEV models, is where to put the motors. Stick it in front of the transmission, and you can take advantage of gearing, but you're also stuck with power drops between shifts. Put it behind, and you get a smoother experience but need a much more powerful motor for the same effect.”
– Evan Williams, CarBuzz
Unfortunately, there are no clues about whether the company actually plans to introduce this tech in production vehicles. Patent filings don’t give us the clearest vision of the future, but they help us see what technology brands are investigating to stay competitive.
Stellantis' first thought about going all-in on all-electric models was the future, skipping a small dabble in PHEVs with the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe. The launch of the Wagoneer S and Charger Daytona, along with upcoming plans for the Ram 1500 Ramcharger electric pickup, point to signs of a rapid EV revolution for all of Stellantis’ American brands.
This would slowly be replaced by a wind-down of EV-swapping, with everything moving toward a more balanced approach to integrating hybrid technology into models. The eTorque mild hybrid system’s life might be coming to an end. Still, it was a valiant starting effort made by Ram to give owners the benefits of hybrid technology without sacrificing V8 oomph.
Sources: Ram, Jeep, JD Power, Car and Driver, The Drive, Wards Auto
