Dodge Charger Reportedly Bringing Back the Supercharged Hellcat V8 for 2028

A leaked internal Stellantis document suggests Dodge is preparing to put a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 back under the hood of the Charger, a move that would reverse the brand’s recent pivot toward turbocharged six-cylinder power and battery-electric drivetrains. The paperwork, reportedly obtained by MoparInsiders, sketches out the powertrain menu for the eighth-generation Charger — internally coded LB — and slots a new SRT-badged variant at the top of the range.

Under the plan, the blown V8 would be paired with a ZF eight-speed automatic, listed under the engine code ESD with the internal label “HEV.” That abbreviation, according to the report, is meant to stand for “Hellcat Equipped Vehicle” rather than hybrid-electric vehicle — a wink that fits Dodge’s fondness for provocative naming. The configuration is said to appear on both the two-door LB29 and the four-door LB49 versions of the Charger, meaning the forced-induction Hemi is penciled in for both body styles in 2028. Earlier reporting indicated the two-door would launch ahead of the four-door, and while the document confirms both are in the program, it does not settle whether they would reach showrooms at the same time.

One notable detail concerns the drivetrain layout. The ZF 8HP95 transmission has historically been reserved for high-output all-wheel-drive Stellantis products like the Durango SRT Hellcat, Ram 1500 TRX, and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. In the document, the supercharged Charger is listed as rear-wheel drive — a departure from the current Hurricane-powered, all-wheel-drive car. The document also identifies the engine family without giving a final horsepower figure. The 777-hp Hellcat found in the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX offers one possible reference point, but the Charger’s exact output and calibration remain unconfirmed.

Below the SRT model, the lineup appears largely unchanged. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six carries on in three states of tune: a 420-horsepower Standard Output, a 550-hp High Output, and a 600-hp High Output Plus wearing the Super Bee name. The 400-volt battery-electric Daytona powertrain, listed under engine code ELD, also stays on the 2028 plan — a sign that the electrified Charger isn’t being shelved even as the V8 makes its reported comeback.

The timing would align with the Charger’s first scheduled midcycle refresh and echoes reporting from earlier this year. It’s worth stressing that Dodge has not officially confirmed a 2028 Charger SRT Hellcat, and internal product roadmaps are routinely revised before anything is signed off for production.