Spy photos have recently emerged showcasing camouflaged Chevrolet C8 Corvette development vehicles testing at the Nürburgring during industry pool testing. Based on GM’s product cadence, these prototypes are the hybrid-assisted Corvette E-Ray supercars. We’re also on the lookout for a C8 Corvette Z06 to set a ‘Ring laptime, which was spoiled last summer by accidents from both Tesla and BMW.
C8 Corvette E-Ray: Details
As our fearless leader Manoli Katakis first reported, we expect output of the C8 Corvette E-Ray to be somewhere around 600 to 750 horsepower, but delivered in a way entirely different from the ethos of the Z06. No flat-plane crank V8 to be found here. No 8,600 RPM redline. And no center-exit exhaust, either. Instead, the C8 Corvette E-Ray shares the LT2 engine with the Stingray, which will power the rear wheels. The electric motors will power the front, making the E-Ray the first AWD production Corvette, as well as the first hybrid production Corvette. The Z06, meanwhile, is exclusively RWD. However, the E-Ray and Z06 will both share the wide body style, and other visual cues.
With electric power and AWD added into the equation, acceleration should be outstanding, as the Corvette E-Ray could go from 0-60 in as little as two seconds. The electric motor alone is reported to be able to propel the E-Ray to 25-35 miles per hour, while also acting as an “e-booster” through the power band, assisting the LT2 V8 engine.
The Corvette E-Ray could arrive in 2024, so we may not see a reveal until sometime next year. Possibly in October, just like the Z06 did in 2021. Considering the Z06 is now a six-figure car, pricing on the E-Ray could be a $120,000 car or more. Still, that’s a bargain compared to, say, the Acura NSX Type S, or an eventual Porsche 911 hybrid.
