C8 Corvette E-Ray Powertrain Mule Spotted In The Wild
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A potential powertrain mule for the upcoming C8 Corvette E-Ray hybrid was photographed by a sharp-eyed Chevy fan this week.
Michael Abbo posted numerous close-up photos of the prototype to a C8 Corvette Facebook fan page. The photos show a camouflaged C8 Corvette prototype with a red power shut-off button mounted on the left rear quarter panel, strange-looking two-into-one exhaust tips and two rear outlets/mounting points with red caps over them.
This prototype appears very similar to the Corvette E-Ray test mule that we photographed undergoing emissions testing in March of this year. That prototype had the same external power shut off button, as well as the same exhaust setup and rear outlets. The exhaust and the outlets appear to be used for mounting the emissions testing device to the rear of the vehicle. These devices are used to actively measure the vehicle’s emissions output when driving.
As we reported previously, the Corvette E-Ray will be comparable to the standard Corvette Stingray, although the hybrid powertrain will provide more performance and improved fuel efficiency. A single electric motor mounted in the front cargo area will pull power from a tiny 1.94 kWh lithium-ion battery mounted in the middle of the chassis, which is expected to give the vehicle an extra 100 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque. The Corvette E-Ray will retain the car’s familiar 6.2L LT2 V8 engine, which produces 490 horsepower in the regular Corvette, so the E-Ray should have a total system output of roughly 600 horsepower.
The Corvette E-Ray will indirectly replace the Corvette Grand Sport in the sports car’s revised model lineup. In addition to the hybrid powertrain, the Corvette E-Ray is also expected to receive the same widebody treatment as the upcoming Corvette Z06. The prototype pictured in this article does not have a widebody, as it is believed to be a powertrain mule only. By going this route, Chevy is able to test the E-Ray’s electrified powertrain without revealing the styling secrets of the future widebody C8 Corvette variants.
GM Authority was the first to report on the Corvette E-Ray name after General Motors filed two applications to register “Corvette E-Ray” and “E-Ray” as trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as far back as 2015.
It’s currently not clear when we can expect the Corvette E-Ray to debut, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Corvette E-Ray news, Corvette news and mid-engine Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
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Gonna be sick!!
My heart wants a AWD Z06! However, I may get this instead of the C8Z06 as AWD are beasts out of corners and launching!!
Lol. Not the “e-ray”. It’s an older development vehicle.
Look at the lights. All the current mules have current lights. These are old photos of a really early test mule. You’ve been had.
They’re using an older bodied mule outfitted with new tech.
About the only thing the C8 has done so far is make money for people on YouTube, who don’t know what they are talking about. They just want to sell tee shirts and money clips. Big news yesterday that the Vette is going to all electric. If they would pay attention they would know that over a year ago GM said that the C8 would be the last generation to run on gas. They have dealers all over the place with lots full of them and other deals who have had deposits for over a year now and can’t get the cars. They not only can’t give me an idea when my ZO6 will happen but also can’t tell me what it is going to be, but they could take my money. Now I have to hear about the ERay that looks like the C8 that was in the NCM over a year ago with exhaust from a hardware store. Sorry to vent to you about this but they were more than happy to take my money before there even was an ERay. Now I have to go and try to get my money back. Thank you, and good luck with the next time we have to bail you out
I’m loving this, watching others giving their personal views and ideas about various pictures and text being seen here, always fun to watch and join in too. That said, as a retired GM employee (with almost 40 years of service) I can assure you that of all of the various divisions within GM’s huge engineering complex, none of them can compare to the amazing individuals who are assigned to work within Corvette Engineering and Development.
When you see various definitions in “Camo”, rest assured that what you see and think might be “the answer” probably isn’t even close. There are some pretty sharp spotters out there who can see past this Camo garb, but let’s be honest, unless you actually work within the organization, you’ll never know for sure, and that is because these GM folks are the best at what they do, they can Camo many variations of the Corvette and lead you to believe that what you are seeing is “the new this or the new that” variation that will be hopefully coming to market within a reasonable amount of time.
Actually, these test mules are amazing test bed platforms, testing future design and the compatibility with current technologies…but you already knew that, right?
What we don’t know is the extent of what’s under the skin of these test mules, and believe me some of these units are pretty exotic, while some are surprisingly ordinary, but they are testing various components for reliability/feasibility ect.
However the folks that “dress the test mules” are the very best at what they do, they can add items to the exterior in places that will lead you to believe that this mule is hiding something futuristic in design, when in reality it may very well be something entirely different…it’s a game that they play and have played for years, and they are damn good at it!
This is not to say that they don’t have fun doing this, they do…and it does bring a lot of amazing comments from the public to them, and they do listen intently to these comments, and they can ascertain just what their next Camo job might need.
The art of “Camouflaging” (and it is an Art) is an amazingly effective yet complex way of making the product appear to be whatever it is that they want you to believe it might be. I’m sure that when these “test mules” are being readied for actual road use outside the massive GM test complex in Michigan, the Camo Team and Engineering Teams meet to “dress” these various mules for road work. Making sure that just enough is showing that’ll lead us all to believe what we are seeing is the latest in future possibilities for the amazing C8 Corvette…and in some instances, you can’t hide what it is that you are testing. Like larger wheels and tires for instance, but of course it’s no problem attaching a “disc” covering the latest wheel design, but it might not be the actual wheels that’ll be available with that model, and perhaps it may be an even further design being tested for that model…years down the road.
This whole Camo procedure you are seeing here, is an amazing process….one that has to be seen to be seen to be believed So while we all think we’re pretty sure what we’re seeing is close to reality or production, may be years off yet.
Lots of speculation and guessing from all of us, some of it hopeful, some of it might be a fantasy at this point in time, but one is for sure, this whole Camo procedure is doing its job, keeping things on a slow boil all the while allowing those amazing Corvette Engineers striving for future successes and keeping all of us entertained and waiting for the next Camo mule to make its way out into the open, dressed in such a way as to create future excitement for the incredible C8 ‘Vette.
As a late model Corvette owner I’m excited too at the future possibilities for the C8 Stingray or “E Ray” and if properly done, could really put the C8 and future Corvette’s right where GM wants it to be…at the top of your Wish List. Where so I sign!
Dude. Stevie Wonder could see what the C8 Stingray was going to look like. I’m not talking little detail things,but let’s be honest here you could tell. It’s a beautiful car. This isn’t the right place for what I’m saying but every day I check hoping to hear something, a little disappointed to see yet another car that is years away. With a wet vac duck taped to the back.
It just seems to me that by now they could tell us a few facts so we know to wait for it. Probably can’t even get a 21 Stingray anymore. The car is a year late, not Chevy’s fault, but they know what it is. Why play games.
That’s a pull handle for a fire supression system, not a “button.” That test vehicle could be an E-Ray but we really have no way to know without video of it starting from a stop under electric power only.
Also, the front electric motor goes just behind the front axle line with a gear or chain drive to the axle so that the weight is behind the rear wheels. It would make no sense to put an electric motor in the cargo area since that would hang weight in front of the wheels and position the motor so far from the front axle that a driveshaft would be needed.