Double scoop!
The current-generation Chevrolet Corvette (C8) was the first ever Corvette with the engine behind the front seats and now marks two more firsts in ‘Vette’ land. This is the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. This is not only the first hybrid Corvette ever, but also the first with four-wheel drive.
The US auto market is changing. The name Mustang is now also used for an electric SUV, a Hummer will have an electric powertrain in 2023 and pick-ups such as the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 are or will be fully electric equivalents. That Chevrolet is not afraid to break violently with the past in certain areas was already apparent when it presented the current generation of the Corvette. For the first time, it got the engine behind the front seats, with the result that the entire silhouette of the car also changed. With this brand new Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, parent company General Motor has added some firsts to the name of the Corvette (C8). It is the Chevrolet Corvette ever with a hybrid powertrain and also the first Corvette with drive on all four wheels.
The heaviest, yet the fastest
The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray’s hybrid powertrain consists of a 6.2-V8 that generates 502 hp and 647 Nm and sends its power to the rear wheels. This makes the V8 several horsepower more powerful than that of the regular eight-cylinder variant, but an electric motor will also be added. And not a little one. The electric motor placed on the front axle in the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid is 163 hp and 165 Nm strong and brings the system power to 654 hp. This makes the E-Ray not as powerful as the Corvette Z06 with its 670 hp turboless (!) 5.5 V8, but it is faster! In fact, it is the fastest Corvette ever, according to Chevrolet. Thanks to all-wheel drive, the ‘Vette R-Ray sprints to a speed of 97 km/h (60 mph) in 2.5 seconds. Don’t forget that the hybrid Corvette with a weight of 1,712 kilos (Convertible: 1,749 kilos) is heavier than the regular Corvette C8 and Z06. Switching is done by means of an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and the electric motor draws its zest for life from a 1.9 kWh battery, which is located between the seats.
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, complete with thick ass.
Expensive
The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid will also be available as a coupe and open convertible. In what Chevrolet the Stealth Mode has baptized you can drive several kilometers electrically up to a speed of 72 kilometers. Chevrolet gives the Corvette E-Ray hybrid Corvette E-Ray special carbon-ceramic brakes from Brembo and gives it a new 12V battery to support the start-stop system the car is equipped with.
Do you see anything on the outside? Certainly. The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is more than 9 centimeters wider than a regular Corvette Stingray. Among other things, Chevrolet conjures up special E-Ray badges, introduces a green ‘Artemis’-colored interior and optionally supplies racing stripes in the color Electric Blue. The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray will cost $104,295 in the United States, which is just under €96,000. The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Convertible costs around €102,500. For comparison: the regular Corvette Stingray costs less than €60,000 and the Corvette Z06 changes hands from just under €97,000. The E-Ray is therefore the most expensive.
Incidentally, Chevrolet will go even further with the Corvette in the field of electrification in the long term. There will also be a fully electric version! In fact, General Motors would like to make Corvette a separate brand that comes with several EVs.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl