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It took exactly 70 years from when the first Chevrolet Corvette was introduced until GM decided to add an electric motor under the hood. Luckily the current C8 Corvette is midengined, allowing the space for that to happen. The new Corvette E-Ray will be the first all-wheel drive Corvette and the first electrified Corvette, in addition to being the quickest Corvette ever built at the Bowling Green assembly plant in Kentucky.
The Corvette E-Ray uses the Stingray's LT2 V8 behind the driver to make 495 horsepower (hp). An electric motor adds another 160 hp along with 125 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque for a total of 655 hp. Chevrolet says that makes this the quickest Corvette ever to 60 mph with a sprint time of just 2.5 seconds.
The only thing missing from the E-Ray is a plug, as it will charge like earlier hybrids through braking and engine coasting. Chevy explained the reason, along noting the powertrain was developed before the current Ultium electric vehicle platform was created that underpins the GMC Hummer EV, Chevy Silverado EV and others.
"Plug in hybrids are designed more for conserving energy and range applications and that was not the mission of this car. The mission of this vehicle was performance, performance, performance, and every kilogram, pound and gram earned its way in from a math standpoint," Corvette lead engineer Mike Kutcher told Newsweek.
The E-Ray's all-wheel drive system and adaptive suspension automatically react to the road surface, applying more power to the front when the drive gets slippery and softening the ride when it gets bumpy. Adding to its all-weather capabilities, the 2024 E-Ray comes standard with all-season tires, with summer tires as an option.
Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert and Following Distance Indicator are all standard. Selectable drive modes include Tour, Sport, Track, Weather, My Mode and Z-Mode. The Charge Plus feature maximizes the battery's state of charge for use later. Stealth mode uses that battery power for speeds of up to 45 mph.
The Corvette E-Ray shares its widebody proportions with the Z06 model, and comes with four aluminum wheel finish options, 14 color options, available black exhaust tips and bright badging, available carbon fiber ground effects, and available carbon fiber wheels in carbon flash, visible carbon fiber finish or visible carbon fiber with a red stripe.
"It's a testament to the innovation that this car has represented throughout its 70-year legacy and certainly represents the future of what this car is capable of delivering going forward," Scott Bell, vice president global Chevrolet told Newsweek. "You know, this vehicle creates its own lane certainly and it provides an all-weather confidence that we've never had."
The 2024 Corvette E-Ray goes on sale in coupe and convertible form this year starting at $104,295.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is a Newsweek Autos managing editor based in Detroit. His focus is reporting on the auto industry. He has covered ... Read more