Hybrid Chevrolet Corvette ‘E-Ray’ at the Nürburgring

A Chevrolet Corvette always has a mighty V8 housed in an extremely long nose? That’s right. At least, until recently. The current generation Corvette does not call its engine in the front, but behind the front seats, with consequences for both driving characteristics and appearance. The Corvette now has a short nose and a long aft deck, but the C8 generation will be special for another reason. There will be a fully electric version and there is also a hybrid variant in the barrel. Several of the latter were photographed during test work on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06

For years there have been rumors that Chevrolet is coming with a hybrid version of the Corvette. Chevrolet has the ‘E-Ray’ designation for that hybrid Corvette – or for the electric variant – on the shelves. It is not yet known what exactly will power the hybrid Chevrolet Corvette. In the Corvette Stingray is a 500 hp 6.2 V8 while the ZR1 has a 679 hp 5.5 V8, the strongest naturally aspirated V8 ever. It is most obvious that Chevrolet grabs the 6.2 from the shelves for the hybrid Corvette and combines it with an electric motor on the front axle. That would make the Corvette Hybrid a four-wheel drive, which is also new in Corvette land. Count on a power of about 600 hp, enough to position the hybrid ‘Vette between the Stingray and the Z06.

Hybrid Chevrolet Corvette ‘E-Ray’

It is clear when looking at these spy photos that the Corvette ‘E-Ray’ will not become a childish variant. Chevrolet gives the hybrid Corvette a comparable to that of the Corvette Z06 wide body which makes the car about 9 centimeters wider than the regular variant. However, the hybrid Corvette has to do without the four exhaust pipes centrally placed in the rear bumper and the heavy spoiler work of the Z06.