As for what will power the SRT Hydra, Dodge has developed an evolution of the brand's supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that is capable of running on hydrogen, similar in principle to what Toyota and Yamaha have achieved with the hydrogen Lexus V8. "Hydrogen combustion development has come a long way," says Dr. Mohammad Powababi, Advanced Powertrain Development Chief at Dodge. "We've found ways of increasing the compression ratio, reducing the risk of knock, and improving the power density of hydrogen in liquid form, which has enabled us to unlock its full potential. In base form, we've extricated 800 horsepower."
Internally, Dr. Mo Powababi said the motor functions in much the same way as a conventional gas-powered V8. "Modifications did have to be made to the existing Hemi's cylinder heads, intake manifold, injectors, and several other components, but we found the supercharger made the power goals easily achievable. 800 hp is just the beginning."