Three Key Takeaways:
- Dodge has announced the return of the iconic Hemi V8 engine for the 2026 Charger muscle car, reversing course on the Biden administration’s push for electric vehicles, signaling a major shift in the auto industry under Donald Trump’s second term.
- The decision to bring back the V8 engine follows consumer rejection of expensive, impractical EVs, as well as Trump’s pro-manufacturing policies that encourage automakers to focus on market-driven production rather than government mandates.
- The revival of the Hemi V8 is expected to ignite excitement among muscle car enthusiasts and could lead to a resurgence in American manufacturing jobs, aligning with Trump’s campaign promise to restore American manufacturing dominance.
The American auto industry is in for a massive shakeup.
Dodge delivered stunning news that car enthusiasts have been praying for.
And Dodge just shocked the auto industry with this huge Trump-era announcement.
Reports indicate Dodge reverses course on Biden’s EV agenda
The roar of the Hemi V8 is making a comeback to American highways.
After years of being pushed toward electric vehicles under Biden administration policies, Dodge is reportedly bringing back the iconic Hemi V8 engine for the Charger muscle car in 2026.
This stunning reversal comes just months into Donald Trump’s second term as President and signals a major shift away from Biden’s failed EV-only strategy that left muscle car fans furious.
Industry insiders report that Stellantis, Dodge’s parent company, is ramping up production of the beloved Hemi V8 engines at their Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan after seeing dismal sales numbers for the all-electric Charger Daytona that replaced the V8-powered models.
“You can’t just turn something on that wasn’t there before,” Dodge CEO Matt McAlear admitted back in February. “Even if we were to say we wanted to do it today, pick any engine. A V10. A four-cylinder. It’s a year-and-a-half, two-year development cycle, right?”
That development cycle may now officially be underway after Trump’s pro-American manufacturing policies have given automakers breathing room to rethink their strategies.
The Trump effect hits the auto industry
When Biden took office, he pushed hard for electric vehicles with massive subsidies and tough regulations that forced manufacturers to abandon their most profitable gas-powered models.
The result was predictable.
Americans rejected these expensive, impractical EVs in droves.
Car buyers looked at the $60,000+ price tags, limited range, and long charging times and kept their wallets firmly closed.
Trump campaigned on reversing these disastrous policies and putting American manufacturing first again.
Trump promised during his campaign to roll back regulations that forced automakers toward electric vehicles, pledging to “end the electric vehicle mandate on day one.”
That’s precisely what Dodge would be doing by reviving the beloved Hemi V8.
Muscle car fans celebrate
The original announcement that Dodge would discontinue V8 muscle cars sent shockwaves through the automotive community.
Dodge tried to placate fans with the all-electric Charger Daytona, which offered impressive performance numbers but lacked the soul-stirring rumble of a V8.
The reception to the electric Charger Daytona has been mixed, with many fans expressing disappointment about the lack of the signature Hemi sound and feel.
Dealerships across the country reported that the electric Chargers sat unsold on lots while used V8 models commanded premium prices.
Now with the Hemi V8 potentially returning, pre-orders are expected to flood in the moment they become available for what will likely be one of the hottest automotive comebacks in decades.
Dodge dealerships across the country have reported that while the new electric models offer impressive specifications, many customers still ask about V8 options when they visit showrooms.
American manufacturing renaissance
The revival of Hemi production at Dodge’s Michigan plant also brings with it hundreds of American manufacturing jobs.
This represents exactly the kind of reshoring of American production that Trump promised during his campaign.
Stellantis will begin tooling up the Dundee plant in the coming months to restart production of the 5.7-liter, 6.2-liter supercharged, and 6.4-liter Apache V8 engines.
Sources close to the company indicate that the Hurricane inline-six turbo engine will continue production – potentially alongside the Hemi – giving consumers multiple powertrain options instead of forcing them into EVs.
Stellantis has still not officially confirmed the return of the V8 Charger, but industry reports from MoparInsiders suggest the company is preparing to restart Hemi production – and where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.
The Charger V8’s comeback would represent a return to market-driven manufacturing rather than government-mandated production – exactly the philosophy Trump has championed throughout his political career.
