CARB Compliant HP = Hurricane Hybrid.
I'm not going to lie, I'm honestly baffled by this whole entire thing when we have other ways of making power outside of just the Hemi V8. We know the 2.0L 4Xe hybrid system makes 375hp which is 15hp more than a 5.7L Durango (360hp) and makes 470lb-ft of torque which equals the Torque of a Durango 392. We know the specs of the two Hurricane-6 powertrains (420hp/468tq & 550/531tq). You want emissions compliant horsepower, well there it is. Want even more? Ok, No problem! May I introduce the ZF 8HP EVO HEV transmission. A plug in 8-speed hybrid transmission that is capable of adding another 268hp and 443lb-ft of torque to the powertrain system. Adding that to the Hurricane-6 powertrains gives you a standard output hurricane-6 hybrid that produces 688hp/911lb-ft of torque and then a High Output Hurricane-6 hybrid system that produces 818hp and 974lb-ft of torque. For all of you guys out there who like to quote specs, that's 29LB-FT MORE TORQUE THAN A CHALLENGER DEMON 170 ON E85 AND 11hp MORE THAN A CHALLENGER SUPER STOCK!! Another thing is that Stellantis is coming out with a higher output version of the 2.0L Turbo that's supposed to put out around 325hp and 280lb-ft of torque. Making that a 4Xe type hybrid with the new transmission puts the power at 593hp and 723lb-ft of torque. That sounds alot like a new generation of SRT4 insanity!
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Dodge giving everyone the option to continue having the V8 engines around. I think that's smart. But I can't ignore the fact that as a company, they need to really look at the big picture and realize the fact that emissions compliance is still needed and there needs to be a balance. Those numbers I just posted above are just a result of putting 2+2 together on whatever stock tune that comes from the factory. That changes when Direct Connection & SRT get behind these powertrains and do their thing. These are powertrains that can go not only in the Durango, but also in the Charger, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Jeep Wrangler, the Jeep gladiator, the jeep Wagoneer, the jeep Wagoneer S, and even the Ram 1500.
The article states that the 5.7L Hemi is the only V8 that the company produces that is Carb-state compliant. Anyone who was at Roadkill nights this year saw the Ram 1500 with that big bright orange Whipple supercharger sitting on the E-Torque 5.7L engine. That Supercharger kit is slated to bump Hemi horsepower up to 600+hp while remaining Carb compliance. With that being said, that still gives Carb compliant states massive V8 power and performance. All of this is why I've said Direct Connection needs to be taken more seriously by Stellantis and that Jailbreak packages and customization need to be things that are across the board. Not just for select models. Another reason is that the 5.7L Hemi is going to be the key to V8 performance across the board, not the 6.4L and not ANY of the Hellcat engines and this issue with the Durango proves my point. I would be bringing back the 5.7L Stage kits with the 6.4L heads, a performance cam, the factory SRT type headers/cats, a Direct Connection by Magnaflow exhaust system (or systems), Brake upgrades, suspension upgrades, styling upgrades, wheels, interior upgrades, Alpine stereo upgrades, etc. to everything that the 5.7L goes in. I'd also be focusing on adding that same hybrid transmission I mentioned earlier to the back of the 5.7L along with everything else I mentioned. A hybrid Hemi Durango GT with a 5.7L goes from 360hp/390tq to 628hp/833tq and takes a 2026 Ram 1500 with the 5.7L Hemi E-torque engine from 395hp/410tq to 663hp and 853lb-ft of torque. Equaling the Horsepower of the Ram Ramcharger extended range EV pickup but vastly exceeding the EV pickup in torque. Throw a carb-compliant supercharger system on that and I don't have to tell you that a truck like that would easily outgun a TRX and that having that kind of power in a street performance pickup truck, SUV or Charger would allow the Mopar brands to still be as bad@$$ as they always have been.
I know most of us in here aren't really fond of the whole EV movement, and I 100% get it. It's different and it's really not as sorted out as it should be if we're going to be comfortable with it. Just my opinion I think Dodge went in the right direction for EV with the Charger Daytona and the Wagoneer S but they rushed and cut too many corners to try and push it to market thanks to being poorly managed during the Dark, tyrannical period of the Tavares era. My thoughts on both of these vehicles is that they will be alot better once the semi-solid state batteries, the 3-speed gearbox and the 800V system arrive and yes both of these vehicles, along with the Jeep Recon need to receive these upgrades for their EV variants. Like it or not, these cars are going to be a part of what help to keep Stellantis, North America, afloat.