What eTorque Means On Ram Trucks

Now that Ram has brought back V8 power to the venerable 1500 half-ton truck (and introduced a "Symbol of Protest" badge to sweeten the pie), some of the attention is now on the eTorque system that's standard with the returning 5.7-liter Hemi V8. First introduced in the Ram 1500 for the 2019 model year, eTorque is a mild hybrid system that assists the internal combustion engine in everyday driving.

Unlike full hybrids like the Toyota Prius, the eTorque mild hybrid system in Ram trucks has no capabilities to propel the vehicle using electricity alone. Instead, the system consists of a belt-driven motor-generator that adds supplemental torque, recuperates energy during regenerative braking, and starts and stops the engine seamlessly to save fuel.

Yes, Ram eTorque is geared more towards improving fuel economy despite being paired with a Hemi V8 or a Pentastar V6. For 2026, eTorque is standard on the Ram 1500 with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V8, and the system has been proven to save more fuel than non-eTorque models. The EPA estimates 19 mpg combined for the Hemi eTorque (RWD and AWD), which is about 2 mpg better than Hemi V8 models without eTorque. The V6 eTorque returns 21 mpg in the combined cycle.

The main components of an eTorque system are the motor-generator, a rather smallish 0.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a 3-kilowatt DC to DC converter. The motor replaces the alternator and orients differently in the V6 and V8. The V6 has a liquid-cooled motor attached to the engine front, while the Hemi V8's eTorque motor is air-cooled and mounts on top of the V8.

The V6 eTorque motor is rated at 12 horsepower and 39 lb-ft of torque. However, the belt drive multiplies the torque output to about 90 lb-ft. In the Ram Hemi V8, the eTorque motor produces 16 horsepower and 49 lb-ft of torque. The latter could reach 130 lb-ft using a different ratio for the belt drive.

The motor supplies 48-volt electrons to the battery while the ICE engine is humming. In the Ram 1500, the insulated battery pack is in the rear wall of the cabin, just behind the rear seats. Meanwhile, the DC-to-DC converter converts 48V to 12V power to run vehicle accessories and recharge the standard 12V lead-acid battery. Speaking of which, Ram 1500 trucks with eTorque maintain cold-blowing air-conditioning when the system engages engine start/stop operations.

Besides supplying power to accessories and recharging the conventional 12V battery, eTorque technology saves fuel using the automatic stop/start function. The motor also recaptures energy when decelerating or braking to charge the lithium-ion battery. In return, the battery uses that stored energy to supply additional torque to the crankshaft (via the motor-generator) when towing, changing gears, or merging on highway onramps.

If power is what you crave in a Ram truck, the Hemi V8 e-Torque hybrid's 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque would definitely brighten your mug. Even the V6 eTorque is no weakling with 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. However, the optional Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six non-hybrid offerings are more potent, with the HO (High Output) version cranking out 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque.

While eTorque technology makes the Ram a mild hybrid, and functions differently from full hybrids or plug-in hybrids, the benefits are hard to ignore for some truck buyers. The Hemi V8 eTorque can tow up to 11,320 pounds, while the max payload is 1,650 pounds.

On the other hand, the Pentastar V6 eTorque unleashes a max payload of 2,360 pounds and towing figures of up to 8,130 pounds. As it turns out, the most capable hauler is the Ram 1500 Hurricane SO (Standard Output), which can pull up to 11,620 pounds, despite having only 420 horsepower and 469 lb-ft of torque.