The upcoming Chevy Corvette E-Ray hybrid sports car will be available in both Coupe and Convertible body styles, sources close to the project have revealed to GM Authority.
As we reported previously, the Chevy Corvette E-Ray will receive the same widebody treatment as the upcoming Corvette Z06. Now we can confirm the widebody E-Ray will be offered in both the Coupe and Convertible body styles, giving Corvette fans more even variety and choice.
The Chevy Corvette E-Ray will utilize a plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a front-mounted electric motor, along with the C8 Corvette Stingray’s 6.2L LT2 V8 engine. The electric motor is expected to produce around 100 horsepower, while the 6.2L LT2 V8 is factory rated at 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque when equipped with the optional performance exhaust. The hybrid setup should therefore give the E-Ray around 600 horsepower, giving it superior performance to the standard Stingray model.
Power for the twin electric motors will be sourced from a small 1.94 kWh lithium-ion battery mounted in the middle of the chassis, which will make the E-Ray slightly heavier than the C8 Corvette Stingray and Z06. The mounting position for the two front electric motors will also rob the vehicle of some “frunk” space, though the front storage area will still have a limited amount of room for smaller items.
The Corvette E-Ray will indirectly replace the Corvette Grand Sport. This variant will also occupy an important space in the Vette’s model lineup, offering superior performance over the standard C8 Corvette Stingray while also being more approachable (and eco-friendly) than the hardcore, track-focused C8 Corvette Z06 – which will essentially be a road-legal version of the Corvette C8.R race car.
It’s not clear when the Corvette E-Ray will make its official debut, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for all the latest Corvette E-Ray news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
So it’s an Acura NSX hybrid for half the price? It should do well.
They are stopping making the NSX because it was a complete failure. IF that is what GM wants to “model” then they are idiots.
There is an 18 month backlog of orders on 20k unit annual production and 50% market share, so NOT a failure in any sense of the word. Idiot applies to other than GM in this case.
Acura
NSX
2020 128
2019 238
2018 170
2017 581
2016 269
I meant Corvette.
I knew you meant the C8. However, the numbers of NSX sales clearly demonstrates my point. GM is doing fine with Stingray sales. They should do fine with Z06 sales. BUT we are talking about the E-Ray. If they model it after the NSX, it will be a failure. Half the Corvette crowd don’t want anything electric as is. To shift them in that direction GM needs to come up with a compelling case. The specs speculated are NOT that. And considering once they do ALL the engineering to go PHEV. It would be INSANE to put a 2 kWh battery in it when given the current price of batteries even bumping up to @8kWh – at less than $1000 ADDITIONAL costs – would make a world of difference, as would having a minimum of 150 electric hp for again a minimum price increase.
I agree that adding 80-100hp in electric motors is a waste, but I think your battery capacity complaint is way over done. The better way to do a performance hybrid is to have as much electric power as gas, so the eray ought to get 500hp in electric motors if they are going to keep the existing stingray V8.
You do this because half the time spent on a racing circuit is full throttle acceleration. The other half of the time is spent recharging batteries for the next full throttle run. Carrying batteries is awful for performance compared to carrying gasoline, so you should carry as little as can still support the short duration high discharge rate needed. Supercapacitors are heavier per kwh but they never wear out and have near instantaneous discharge, so lighter in reality.
So we likely agree that a 600hp hybrid ‘gran sport’ type tourer is a waste. 1000hp that is half electric with just enough storage to support repeated 50-150mph accelerations would be my target. The math says this is only 250wh, an eighth of your ‘insane’ battery size. This is maybe closer to what they think the Zora will be.
And that begs the question of what the purpose of the E-Ray is? I would suggest the Z06 should be the track star and the E-Ray should be the stepping stone to full BEV and to be the GT excelling on the street. 99%+ of Corvette miles are on the street. I want it to greatly increase the CAFE. I want real world mpg over 30. I want 0-60 in 2.5. I want to have my cake and eat it too. For that they will need a decent size battery and electric motors.
Saying CAFE should get you banned from performance car forums. It is a govern-mental disorder. You should get a model S, which is a pig because it weighs 5klb. That is the cake you are asking for.
My target would weigh 3900lb and could destroy a model s on the street, track, or anywhere, then do a cross country trip without worrying about where I would be sitting for hours recharging. I could even drop another 200lb with a smaller turbo motor and not lose any performance.
The current stingray gets 28mpg hwy and my target could get that anywhere, since all the stop and go is smoothed by the electrics. I’d never drive it like that though; gas cost is not a factor even with idiot $5/gal prices.
The E-Ray, from what I’ve read, is the replacement for the Grand Sport. It’s the track car for the corvette owner that likes to put in some track time. On the track (road course) I just need the power to get up to top speed. With a GS replacement in mind, I trust the engineers to supplement, not necessarily augment, the normally aspirated v8. Just enough to give me the 600 hp when I need it, negating the need to have a 600 hp engine in the aft bay with everything that comes with that engine, things like an expensive flat plane crank engine, supercharger or turbocharger. Oh yeah, did I mention how sweet it is to have those front tires pulling on corner exit?
Likely going to be many customers who leave the service drive with the term “Design Flaw” floating around in their skull. Lower case gm is killing it with customer dissatisfaction. More will be revealed.
The appeal of any hot rod is that gas-guzzling sound. We have an EV, a hybrid along with 5 late model ICE vehicles and they are OK rides, but when I get in one of my old hot rods and rev up that hi-horsepower gas-guzzling engine then it is therapy for the automotive driven soul.
I don’t care. Just redesign that fugly rear.
I am sticking with the Z06. I am ordering one as soon as Chevy opens the order book…I will be a holy terror on the boulevard…
Until you total it
If that is the size of the battery – and electric motors, it is a complete failure on GM’s part. Ferraris has 2 hybrids out now. Both with over 150 hp electric motors and batteries @ 8 kWh.
Comparing an 75,000 starting price car with a 250,000$ starting price car ? Sorry troll!
Troll? I have a deposit down for an E-Ray. Next month my C8 Stingray is being built. The specs stated are @ the same as the Acura NSX. A car that did so poorly in sales that this is the last year they are going to build.
Well the Ferrari hybrid starting price is north of 300k. So apples and oranges.
Corvette has always stood for the most bank for the buck. Increasing the battery size to 8kWh would costs GM less than $1,000. I suspect increasing hp on electric motors by 50 would add less than $500. These are mid engine sports cars, apples to apples.
A 100 hp motor for industrial purposes built without major considerations of weight is over 1500 pounds and cost upwards of 15,000$. To engineer a front wheel drive assembly to carry and handle 150 hp electric ( in a car that has been RWD for 70years) would not be a 2000$ hack job.
Troll! GM is not accepting deposits for the eRay yet, you can only get on a list. Nobody buys a stingray and an eRay then bad mouths them both.
You should try expanding your vocabulary. You like the word “troll” a lot. GM NEVER accepts deposits on any cars – dealers do. I have a deposit at a DEALERSHIP for the E-Ray. With your vocabulary expansion also study comprehension. I have not bad mouthed the E-Ray. I have said “IF” the specs are as stated, then someone(s) is an idiot. If they are going to go to ALL the trouble to make a PHEV they should at least put in a decent size battery. 2 kWh is Not. Nor as suggested is the electric motor going to costs $15k and weigh 1500 lbs. Again the weight/size/costs difference between a 50 hp motor and a 75 hp motor would be inconsequential.
I only used the T word once, others have also. And I know a 100hp automotive motor will not weigh 1500lb, but it will weigh a considerable amount. I am certain GM engineers studied hard on the weight/cost/performance issues and came up with the best acceleration,, forward weight gain, and minimal cost for structure.I am sure that 100hp front power will greatly reduce the incidence of “ground looping” the car like they did in the Detroit GP.
Performance electric motors provide 3hp/lb peak, quite a bit lighter than gas motors. Look up Equipmake 140, 120kw with reduction gearing and inverter for 25kg. The real problem with electrics is batteries, which weigh 45x as much as gas for equivalent energy content. Plus an empty battery weighs just as much as full, where an empty gas tank weighs nearly nothing compared to full.
To me the C8 Corvette “E-Ray” will represent a future Corvette by design that will certainly engage not only designers but engineers all working together to provide a vehicle, that if designed and engineered properly will be spectacular in that it’ll represent advancements for future usage on roads all over the world.
Although I love the sound of true big V8 engine routed through any sort of “high performance exhaust” (my current Corvette uses a Borla design exhaust Cat Back system and it is SWEET!) I’m looking forward to seeing and possibly owning an E-Ray one day, of course providing they are actually available through normal means (read: dealers) and are not so expensive and complicated as to limit the vehicles actual production to just a few select individuals with more money than God, which can sometimes be the case.
So lets keep a positive attitude here, lets all wait and see just what the Corvette Gang at GM can put together for all of us Corvette lovers who drive and support this American Icon. Personally speaking, I’m pretty excited to see such a vehicle actually being produced and hopefully made available in the not too distant future. We all need to keep our minds open as to how the future is going to allow High Performance Vehicles to keep us all happy and content…not just as a great looking and amazing performance sports car for the masses, but to also be “environmentally friendly” also.
The upside to this whole “E-Ray” platform could be even more amazing performance and handling while also providing better fuel economy…oh and at times, with “Zero Emissions”, sounds pretty exciting to me.
In the meantime, like everyone else in the Corvette World, we’ll just have to wait for these new futuristic Corvette’s to hit the road for our driving excitement, I can hardly wait! Count me “IN” for the new C8 “E-Ray”, I think it’ll be amazing!
If I’m losing frunk space I don’t see buying one. Otherwise would be an interesting option. Have thought of buying a C8 but don’t really see going from C7Z06 to a base car. Would consider ERay but not with less practicality.
Gma, where is your Celestiq will be shown in summer? Summer is almost over. Where is it, gma. Where?
With those tiny batteries, whats the point? The C8 looks like a hodge podge of conflicting ideas. It needs a makeover. I’ll stick with the C7 for now.
Read up on the 918, NSX, or Stradale and get back to us when you understand how a hybrid powertrain can be used for performance.
I was looking for a C7Z and decided to buy a C8 HTC for the same money. Glad I did. I also have deposits down for a Z06 and Eray. Have you seen the projected performance stats on the AWD 600hp Eray? Quite impressive and the price is supposed to be considerably less than the Z06
The front electric motors will be placed behind the front axle line, well behind the frunk. If the frunk size is affected then it would be for cooling needs.
Having tracked both my Z51 C7 and my Focus RS, I am looking forward to an all wheel drive corvette. If the battery provided power for 6 seconds, that’s all I need to be able to get the power down from apex to brake point, instead of corner exit to brake point. Several years ago I spoke with a corvette engineer at the Sonoma Raceway about just such a setup. I’m looking forward to the finished product- – and the NSX be damned.
No mention of AWD/4wd. May be saving for ZR1