New Corvette E-Ray Hybrid Now Available on Chevrolet's Website
A hybrid version of the C8 Chevrolet Corvette has been rumored for years, but was finally confirmed in April along with plans for an electric Corvette.
While a fully electric 'Vette is probably still a few years away, the hybrid will appear in summer 2023 under the name Corvette E-Ray.
The first pictures and market timing of the Corvette E-Ray recently surfaced in a visualizer on Chevrolet's website. The content has since been removed, but not before the enthusiast website Corvette Blogger took these screenshots.
Asked about the car, a Chevrolet spokesperson told Corvette Blogger: "Looks like the holidays came early for some astute Corvette fans. Stay tuned for more."
Photos show that the Corvette E-Ray will feature the same wide-body design as the Corvette Z06. It appears to have no charging port and is unlikely to be a plug-in hybrid. This makes sense since Chevrolet engineers benchmarked the prototype against the Acura NSX, which is also a conventional hybrid with a mid-engine layout.
The Corvette E-Ray is expected to be powered by one or two electric motors driving the front axle and the current Corvette Stingray's 6.2-liter V-8 engine driving the rear axle. Early teaser footage showed the prototype being tested on snow, with the front wheels spinning under their own power, suggesting all-wheel drive. An electric motor integrated with the Corvette's eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and driving the rear wheels is also a possibility, judging from a recent patent.
Peak output is expected to be 600-650 hp, with a more powerful hybrid configuration expected during the C8 Corvette's product cycle, rumored to be a range-topping variant called the Zora.
Expect Chevrolet to release official details on the Corvette E-Ray early next year.