New Details Surrounding C8 Corvette E-Ray Hybrid Emerge
The hybrid Corvette E-Ray is shaping up to be a true hypercar killer with its electrified power and AWD system.
Few Corvettes in history have stirred up mixed emotions in the way the forthcoming C8 Corvette E-Ray has, but that’s to be expected for the first electrified version of America’s sports car in its long and illustrious history. While many are embracing the E-Ray’s performance potential, others prefer their Corvettes to stick to gasoline-only motivation. Regardless, we’re learning more about the first-ever Corvette hybrid with each passing day, and now, Muscle Cars & Trucks has acquired quite a few new details about this future model.
According to MC&T, the Corvette E-Ray will share its wide-body and front fascia with the C8 Z06, but will feature unique wheels and a more conventional exhaust setup and tires with the base Stingray. As we’ve previously reported, the E-Ray will combine the Stingray’s 6.2-liter LT2 V8 with electric motors to produce somewhere around a combined 650 horsepower, making for brutal acceleration when paired with a dual-clutch gearbox and an all-wheel-drive configuration.
The E-Ray will reportedly be able to travel on electric power alone at slower speeds, via its all-electric powered front axle. Whether it will be a conventional hybrid or plug-in hybrid is currently unclear, though the hybrid Corvette will reportedly feature regenerative braking, nonetheless.
Perhaps most interestingly, MC&T sources note that the E-Ray won’t be positioned as some sort of track-destroying machine like the Z06, but rather, a grand-tourer of sorts. This makes sense as that space will be occupied by the Z06 and eventually the ZR1, but there’s no denying the performance potential of the first hybrid Corvette. Given the fact that the Stingray can already do 0-60 in less than three seconds, the E-Ray figures to slash a few tenths off that time at the very least.
That won’t matter to traditionalists, who figure to shun the E-Ray regardless of what kind of numbers it puts up. But for those willing to embrace the future, the first-ever hybrid Corvette sounds like a real barn burner and perhaps a true performance bargain, as is the case with the current Stingray. Personally, we’re looking forward to seeing just how many pricey hypercars the E-Ray can slay in a straight line, and it figures to be darn good at that, if nothing else.
Photos: Chevrolet
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