The Electric Corvette Dream Is Dead For Now
The Chevrolet Corvette has gone electrified, but not electric. The E-Ray and upcoming ZR1X both feature hybrid drivetrains that use electric motors to power the front wheels.
A battery pack is mounted own the spine of the hybrids, since their mid-mounted V8 don’t need a transmission there, but it’s primarily to provide short boosts of power, not all-electric driving beyond maybe a short trip across the parking lot.
However, GM President Mark Reuss in 2022 said there would be a “fully electric, Ultium-based Corvette in the future, but it sounds like it will be a distant future.
Corvette chief engineer Tony Roma told Carbuzz that “at this point in time, we have no plans to do an all-electric Corvette.”
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In fact, despite Reuss’ proclamation, Roma said it was never planned. Regardless, it ain’t gonna happen anytime soon, and with good reason.
The 1,250 hp Corvette ZR1X features a hybrid drivetrain with a front electric motor.
“The technology really isn’t there to make a car you would enjoy, and to make a car light enough with enough range, with enough capability at a cost point that people could afford,” Roma said. “So I don’t think the technology is there yet, and I don’t think the market is really there, not in volume. It would be a very niche product. So I think it’s going to be a while before you see an all-electric Corvette.”
Several high end sports car makers have shelved plans for all-electric supercars based on customer feedback and Chevy sells enough of the other Corvettes models at very high transaction prices that it doesn’t really need one.
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Roma also shared what sounded like disappointing news for ZR1 and ZR1X fans, as he downplayed rumors that one of them may have set a new production car lap record at the Nürburgring. A recent teaser released on 6/28 was read by some to mean it beat the Mercedes-AMG ONE’s time of 6:29, but he suggested that’s not the case, citing the difficulty of even getting a good clean lap in, let alone one that good.
“All I can say is, stay tuned. We did go and drive around the Green Hell, and we’re pretty proud of how the car did. And so, we’re going to release more details when the time’s right. Very soon, very soon,” Roma said.
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We probably won’t hear anything unless the number is lower than 6:52.072, which is what the Mustang GTD did earlier this year to set the record for American brands.