Which Ram 1500 years have the 5.7 HEMI, and what is eTorque?

The HEMI by year

Sources: Stellantis Media, 2013 Ram 1500 press kit; 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Fact Sheet; 2019 Ram 1500 launch release; 2026 HEMI return release, 5 June 2025. The 2023 to 2024 eTorque-standard row is shop-floor knowledge from the trucks we dismantle. Checked 9 September 2026.

What is eTorque?

A mild-hybrid system. A belt-driven motor generator replaces the alternator and connects to a 48-volt battery pack behind the rear seat. Stellantis says "the eTorque unit recaptures energy during deceleration and braking to feed charge to the battery pack" and that "eTorque adds up to 90 lb.-ft. of torque to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and up to 130 lb.-ft. to the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8" during launch and shifts. It also runs the stop-start. The engine's own horsepower and torque ratings are unchanged; the assist is on top.

Source: Stellantis Media, 2019 Ram 1500 Hauls More, Tows More and Uses Less Fuel With eTorque, and the 2019 launch release. Checked 9 September 2026.

How do I tell an eTorque HEMI from a non-eTorque one?

Look at the front of the engine: an eTorque truck has the large motor generator where the alternator would be, with heavy cables running back to a 48-volt pack behind the rear seat, and the truck has stop-start. The window sticker or glovebox sales-code label names it. On the road, an eTorque truck shuts the engine off at lights. If you are buying an engine, this is the first thing we confirm, because the two are not interchangeable as running assemblies.

Why is a 2019 or later HEMI not a drop-in for my 2018?

Because the 2019 engine sits in a different truck. Even a non-eTorque 2019 HEMI has the DT's controller, accessory layout and harness; an eTorque one adds the motor generator and the 48-volt system, which a DS has no place for. The long block is the same family and a rebuilder can use it, but the engine as pulled from a DT does not bolt into a DS and run. Tell us the exact truck and we will say which engines on the floor are a straight fit.

What happened in 2025 and 2026?

The 2025 Ram 1500 launched without a HEMI, offering the Hurricane 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six instead. On 5 June 2025 Stellantis announced the HEMI's return for the 2026 Ram 1500, with the 5.7-litre HEMI V8 eTorque rated at 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft and Ram's CEO quoted as saying "Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI". For a used-parts buyer the lesson is that HEMI demand never left, so a good used HEMI does not sit on our shelf long.

Source: Stellantis Media, The Legend Returns: 2026 Ram 1500 Offers 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 eTorque Engine, 5 June 2025. Checked 9 September 2026.

What about MDS?

MDS is the Multi-Displacement System, the HEMI's cylinder deactivation, which shuts down four cylinders under light load. It has been on Ram 1500 HEMIs with automatic transmissions throughout these years and is part of the engine's valvetrain, not a bolt-on. It matters to a parts buyer in one way: the lifters used by MDS are the ones associated with the HEMI's known lifter and camshaft wear, so we listen to every HEMI running before it is tagged and say what we heard.