Ram is stripping the 48-volt hybrid setup and automatic stop-start off most of its 2027 half-ton trucks, handing the 5.7-liter Hemi back its old-school, no-assist personality. A few hybrid versions will linger during the switch, but the plan is clear. The nonhybrid V-8 is taking over.
- Most 2027 Ram 1500 models lose the eTorque 48-volt hybrid system and the auto stop-start feature that came with it.
- A limited number of eTorque trucks will still be built during the production changeover, so hybrid fans aren’t fully out of luck.
- Nonhybrid Hemi V-8 trucks start showing up on dealer lots this fall.
What’s Actually Leaving the Lineup
Since 2019, the Hemi V-8 in Ram’s half-ton pickups has leaned on a mild-hybrid system called eTorque. It swapped the traditional alternator for a 48-volt battery, which added a little extra torque off the line, smoothed out engine starts, and nudged fuel economy in the right direction. It was a quiet helper more than a headline feature, and plenty of owners never thought twice about it.
That’s changing for 2027. A Ram spokesperson laid it out plainly. Starting early in the 2027 model year, Ram will phase out the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 eTorque and replace it with the nonhybridized version of the same 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. Only a limited number of 2027 Ram 1500s will still be built with the eTorque powertrain, and those are tied to the production transition rather than a long-term plan.
When the hybrid hardware goes, the automatic stop-start function goes with it. If you’ve driven a newer vehicle at a red light and felt the engine cut out, then jolt back to life when you lift off the brake, that’s the feature. It was built to trim idling emissions in traffic and at stoplights.
Why Drivers Won’t Miss Stop-Start
Stop-start has never been a crowd favorite in the U.S. The shudder of the engine restarting, the tiny hesitation before you pull away, the general sense that the truck is second-guessing you. A lot of owners just reached over and switched it off every time they climbed in. Losing it from most 2027 trucks removes a step that plenty of people were already taking on their own.
For a truck brand built on big V-8 muscle, dropping the feature also fits the image. Ram has spent years balancing its grit with efficiency tech, and this pares things back toward the simpler, torque-first character buyers keep asking for.
The Policy Change Behind the Decision
There’s a regulatory reason this is happening now. The feature was never legally required. Instead, the EPA nudged automakers toward it by handing out off-cycle credits to companies that installed stop-start systems. That made the tech an easy win on paper, so it spread across the industry.
Then, in February 2026, the federal government repealed several EPA policies, including those credits. Once the incentive disappeared, the math changed. When the repeal first made news, Stellantis and most other automakers signaled the technology would stick around. That tone appears to have shifted, and Ram is now one of the first to actually pull the feature.
The Hemi’s Comeback Keeps Rolling
This latest move is part of a bigger story around the Hemi itself. The engine took a short retirement in 2025, only for customer demand to drag it right back into service, hybrid system and all. Now Ram is taking it a step further and returning the V-8 closer to its roots by cutting the electrified assist for most trucks.
If you had your heart set on an eTorque model, you still have a window. Some hybrid versions should remain available while the transition plays out. But the direction is set, and the nonhybrid Hemi is the future of the half-ton line.
Sorting Out Your 2027 Ram Options
The nonhybrid Ram 1500 models are due in showrooms this fall, so the timing matters if you’re weighing a new pickup. Want the mild-hybrid setup and the fuel-economy edge it offers? Move sooner while the limited eTorque builds are still around. Prefer a straightforward V-8 with no stop-start quirks and one less system to worry about? The 2027 lineup is heading exactly your way. Either path gets you a Hemi. The difference is just how much electrical help comes along for the ride.
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