2023 C8 ‘E-Ray’ Corvette Development Confirmed
Huge upgrades are on the way for the Corvette’s C8 generation. We will see 1,000 HP+ and a hybrid system in a C8 chassis. We can work with that.
The C8 Corvette has been a great success for GM so far, racking up about 20,000 vehicles sold since last year. We think the future is also looking very bright for the C8. SAE International’s Don Sherman recently uncovered some details in relation to what’s next for the iconic sports car, and hints are that it’s electric.
This shouldn’t really be a surprise. Many of the major auto manufacturers have set a formal standard to transition their commercial fleets to hybrid and electric technology over the next five to ten years. By 2030, expect the ICE-based platforms to disappear just about entirely.
GM and the Corvette brand have no interest in being left behind the curve. They have vowed to electrify 20 vehicles in the company’s lineup by 2025. So what about the Corvette?
Electric is the future, how will sports cars like the C8 adapt?
By 2023 expect to see an “E-Ray” model in the Corvette lineup replacing the standard Grand Sport trim level. However, this is no radical idea for the C8 chassis. In reality, the potential of hybrid power existed since the C8 began with development.
Front spring, damper and steering components were located from the start of the program to give halfshafts from a pair of electric motors a straight shot to C8’s front wheel hubs.
Utilizing “GM’s Ultium pouch-style lithium battery cells” in the aluminum center tunnel will allow for tight packaging of the hybrid system. This would allow for 50+ HP independent electric motors fitted to the front end.
Significant performance gains will come from the improved power-to-weight ratio, the enhanced traction provided by all-wheel drive and torque vectoring on demand at the front wheels. In addition, electrification is expected to improve fuel economy by giving the engine a break during cruising. Propelled solely by its electric motors, the hybrid Corvette will be eligible for access to city centers where combustion engines alone are forbidden.
The result is a stunning 600 HP when combined with the LT2 V8 roaring to life. Considering the fact that this hybrid model will be priced well under $100,000, there is a lot to be excited about.
Future Corvette models announced including the Zora edition, Z06, and the ZR1
As if that wasn’t enough to look forward to, news has been swirling of several other C8 variants soon to grace the road. The first being 2022 Z06 which will feature the revised 600 HP LT6 V8.
The 2024 ZR1, sure to be one of the wildest cars on the road, will boast 850 HP thanks to two added turbochargers. Just went you thought that it couldn’t get any crazier however, it does.
The 2025 “Zora” edition will provide more than 1,000 HP by combining a 5.5L twin-turbo V8 with matching electric motors. Mind blown.
We can’t wait to see what Chevy and Corvette are able to do with times changing constantly in our moving world. However, according what we have to go off of, the future is looking good.
