E-Ray Low End/Initial Pull?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 175
Likes: 33
E-Ray Low End/Initial Pull?
I'm sure no-one quite knows the answer to this yet, but I figured I'd ask the question.
I own a C8 as my weekend car as well as a Tesla Model 3 Performance as my daily driver.
I generally enjoy both cars, but one of the things that always stands out to me about the C8 after coming from the Tesla is how it takes a few moments for the torque to kick in. Whereas the Tesla just hits you with a wave of torque immediately as you press the throttle.
I'm sure the front electric motor is going to help the C8 with that low-end/initial pull. I'm curious if it will feel as pronounced as a full on EV, or if there will still be some hesitation due to the ICE motor and gear box being involved. I guess the best point of reference would be an Acura NSX but I don't feel like folks generally describe it as an ev-like pull.
Any thoughts?
I own a C8 as my weekend car as well as a Tesla Model 3 Performance as my daily driver.
I generally enjoy both cars, but one of the things that always stands out to me about the C8 after coming from the Tesla is how it takes a few moments for the torque to kick in. Whereas the Tesla just hits you with a wave of torque immediately as you press the throttle.
I'm sure the front electric motor is going to help the C8 with that low-end/initial pull. I'm curious if it will feel as pronounced as a full on EV, or if there will still be some hesitation due to the ICE motor and gear box being involved. I guess the best point of reference would be an Acura NSX but I don't feel like folks generally describe it as an ev-like pull.
Any thoughts?
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 674
Likes: 855
From: DFW
I'm sure no-one quite knows the answer to this yet, but I figured I'd ask the question.
I own a C8 as my weekend car as well as a Tesla Model 3 Performance as my daily driver.
I generally enjoy both cars, but one of the things that always stands out to me about the C8 after coming from the Tesla is how it takes a few moments for the torque to kick in. Whereas the Tesla just hits you with a wave of torque immediately as you press the throttle.
I'm sure the front electric motor is going to help the C8 with that low-end/initial pull. I'm curious if it will feel as pronounced as a full on EV, or if there will still be some hesitation due to the ICE motor and gear box being involved. I guess the best point of reference would be an Acura NSX but I don't feel like folks generally describe it as an ev-like pull.
Any thoughts?
I own a C8 as my weekend car as well as a Tesla Model 3 Performance as my daily driver.
I generally enjoy both cars, but one of the things that always stands out to me about the C8 after coming from the Tesla is how it takes a few moments for the torque to kick in. Whereas the Tesla just hits you with a wave of torque immediately as you press the throttle.
I'm sure the front electric motor is going to help the C8 with that low-end/initial pull. I'm curious if it will feel as pronounced as a full on EV, or if there will still be some hesitation due to the ICE motor and gear box being involved. I guess the best point of reference would be an Acura NSX but I don't feel like folks generally describe it as an ev-like pull.
Any thoughts?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2,194
Likes: 1,898
From: Not too far from MacMulkin
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I agree with @hamta and would add that the E-Ray battery chemistry is designed for very fast charge and discharge. It appears to act somewhat like a capacitor, so I'm optimistic that it will provide the electric motor with lots of juice very quickly, and we'll get the "kick in the pants" acceleration of a fast BEV, like a performance model Tesla.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 2,345
From: Central UT
Internet 'bench comparisons' can be interesting. Here's what I see:
- M3P with awd option: 487 lb/ft; weight 4,250; 3.1 to 60
- eRay: awd standard; 600ish lb/ft; weight 3890; 2.5 to 60 with all season tires.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,562
Likes: 1,579
The Tesla plaid is ~4900 lbs (battery weight), the ERay is ~3800 lbs, nearly 1k lbs lighter!
The plaid has 1k torque (but is much heavier), the C8 has ~400 lbs less torque, but vehicle is also 1k pounds lighter.
This would be an interesting "related rates" problem in Physics/Calculus. It will be interesting to see if the electric motor is able to muster enough torque to fill the gap.
My gut tells me the Plaid will still win in the straight line performance, all the other negatives it comes with though??? no thanks!
The plaid has 1k torque (but is much heavier), the C8 has ~400 lbs less torque, but vehicle is also 1k pounds lighter.
This would be an interesting "related rates" problem in Physics/Calculus. It will be interesting to see if the electric motor is able to muster enough torque to fill the gap.
My gut tells me the Plaid will still win in the straight line performance, all the other negatives it comes with though??? no thanks!
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 236
Likes: 163
The Tesla plaid is ~4900 lbs (battery weight), the ERay is ~3800 lbs, nearly 1k lbs lighter!
The plaid has 1k torque (but is much heavier), the C8 has ~400 lbs less torque, but vehicle is also 1k pounds lighter.
This would be an interesting "related rates" problem in Physics/Calculus. It will be interesting to see if the electric motor is able to muster enough torque to fill the gap.
My gut tells me the Plaid will still win in the straight line performance, all the other negatives it comes with though??? no thanks!
The plaid has 1k torque (but is much heavier), the C8 has ~400 lbs less torque, but vehicle is also 1k pounds lighter.
This would be an interesting "related rates" problem in Physics/Calculus. It will be interesting to see if the electric motor is able to muster enough torque to fill the gap.
My gut tells me the Plaid will still win in the straight line performance, all the other negatives it comes with though??? no thanks!
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 175
Likes: 33
Internet 'bench comparisons' can be interesting. Here's what I see:
- M3P with awd option: 487 lb/ft; weight 4,250; 3.1 to 60
- eRay: awd standard; 600ish lb/ft; weight 3890; 2.5 to 60 with all season tires.
Which isn't bad by any means on the C8's front, but the Tesla's performance is so much for accessible. So I'm hoping the E-Ray has a bit more of that available.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,978
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From: North/Central NJ - a.k.a. Gotti in the CFNE section
St. Jude Donor '05
My daily driver is a 23' BMW Comp xDrive. While not electric it is turbo'd with awd and the torque is epic/instant, I can also control shift points to more or less aggressive. Feels more like my C7 Z06. I very much missed this in my C8, so look forward to a lot more tq in my ERAY.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 2,182
From: Cary NC
Well, the ICE in the e-Ray will make a peak of about 7000 ft-lb of torque in first gear at the rear wheels. The ICE's rear wheel torque, per gear, looks like this;
1st gear 7000 ft-lb at rear wheels
2nd gear 4255
3rd gear 2950
4th gear 2127
5th gear 1570
The electric motor makes a continuous 1020 ft-lb at the front wheels, but it will be delivered instantly and will not drop until the motor hits its base speed, which is well below the motor's power peak and likely well below the 150mph cutoff. I think it's going to feel like a very fast ICE with the ICE torque drops on each gear shift, but with an instant off-line torque boost and a constant extra boost from the motor. Once the motor reaches its base speed, the motor torque will begin to drop with speed, but it'll still be adding 150hp to the front wheels up to 150mph. Based on the power graphs given by GM, we don't yet know the exact speed where the motor's torque dropoff happens.
1st gear 7000 ft-lb at rear wheels
2nd gear 4255
3rd gear 2950
4th gear 2127
5th gear 1570
The electric motor makes a continuous 1020 ft-lb at the front wheels, but it will be delivered instantly and will not drop until the motor hits its base speed, which is well below the motor's power peak and likely well below the 150mph cutoff. I think it's going to feel like a very fast ICE with the ICE torque drops on each gear shift, but with an instant off-line torque boost and a constant extra boost from the motor. Once the motor reaches its base speed, the motor torque will begin to drop with speed, but it'll still be adding 150hp to the front wheels up to 150mph. Based on the power graphs given by GM, we don't yet know the exact speed where the motor's torque dropoff happens.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 236
Likes: 163
My daily driver is a 23' BMW Comp xDrive. While not electric it is turbo'd with awd and the torque is epic/instant, I can also control shift points to more or less aggressive. Feels more like my C7 Z06. I very much missed this in my C8, so look forward to a lot more tq in my ERAY.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 937
Likes: 618
From: Navarre, Florida
More back on point, however, I think it'll feel like a stereotypical AWD car as far as it's acceleration is concerned. It's usable powerband will be much more accessible and I think it should provide a generally pleasing level of acceleration compared to simply stabbing the throttle in the Stingray or Z06.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2,194
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From: Not too far from MacMulkin
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
On one of the E-Ray videos, the driver did several launches with all-season tires on an unprepped surface at 40 degrees in Michigan, and I didn't notice any tire slip at all. The launches were so effortless, he was easily doing them one-handed with full control.
