2023 Ram 1500: Goodbye Hemi V8?

Goodbye Hemi V8! The 2023 Ram 1500 will likely get the 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo I6. We have big news for RAM fans, especially those curious about the 2023 model.
Official information suggests that the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 will most likely be dropped from the 2023 Ram 1500.

But what engine will replace it? Hurricane will be a new family of 3.0-liter twin-turbo I6 engines designed to deliver significantly better performance.
According to Stellantis, it will perform like a V8 when towing while offering 15% better fuel economy.

The automaker also says there will be two different versions of this engine: one tuned for high output (HO)
and another for standard output (SO).

According to a Stellantis press release, the HO version will be “optimized for outstanding performance (more than 500 horsepower)
while maintaining significant fuel efficiency during heavy-duty use, such as towing.” The SO version, on the other hand, will be “optimized for fuel economy,” including the use of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR),
while still delivering improved power and torque (more than 400 horsepower).


The engine is designed to be used later in an electrified version as well, potentially for hybrid models.
But why is the Hemi V8 disappearing? The reason is simple: global emissions standards. We are well aware of Euro 6 standards and companies' targets
to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. A fairly plausible reason, right?

Even China, the world's largest automotive market, is adopting Euro 6 standards. Companies simply no longer want to build different engines for different markets, and that makes good business sense.  

In its current form, the Hemi V8 cannot meet these stricter emissions standards.

Instead, companies are turning toward smaller turbocharged engines, which can immediately deliver a 40% reduction in emissions – as was the case with the 2022 Toyota Tundra.

While some people may want a hybrid version of a V8 or more transmission gears to help reduce emissions, the reality is that the pure V8 simply cannot do it anymore.

These engines will be replaced by smaller V6 engines, bringing better performance as well as improved fuel economy. Nostalgic fans, however, will miss the sound of the V8 – and we completely understand that feeling, because it really was a pretty great sound.