Earlier in the week, GM dropped a new teaser video showing the upcoming Corvette E-Ray accelerating hard on snow, giving us a peek at the onboard all-wheel drive system in action. Critically, GM President Mark Reuss confirmed that The General would offer a “fully electric, Ultium-based Corvette in the future.” Unfortunately, this simply raises more questions – what form will this new electric Corvette take? And when can we expect to see it?
For the moment, there’s a lot of speculation flying around the web, but let’s start with the facts. First off, GM has already announced that it will no longer sell internal-combustion-powered passenger vehicles by 2035, so an electric Corvette is already a foregone conclusion. With that in mind, let’s examine the possible scenarios of what such a model could look like.
Electric Corvette C8
As GM Authority has covered previously, a fully electric powertrain was not part of the initial product plan for the C8 Corvette. As such, an electric Corvette C8 is highly unlikely, unless of course GM changed its mind. If that’s the case, engineers must now figure out a way to stuff Ultium batteries and Ultium drive motors into the C8 architecture, a project that would be both complex and costly.
Moreover, GM’s Ultium batteries and motors were never designed to be shoehorned into an existing platform. Rather, GM’s overarching approach to vehicle electrification has been in the creation of new EV-dedicated platforms, such as BEV3, which underpins models like the Cadillac Lyriq, and BT1, which underpins models like the GMC Hummer EV. These new EV-centric architectures enable GM to turn a profit on electric vehicles, as they were developed and planned from the ground up to do exactly that.
By contrast, the full electrification of the C8 platform would entail stuffing the engine bay with batteries, which is less than ideal. Alternatively, batteries could be mounted up front and in the rear. However, the battery pack would not be mounted the passenger cell. All of this would be difficult to engineer without impacting the Corvette C8’s ride and handling.
Furthermore, massaging the Corvette C8 platform into a full EV wouldn’t necessarily offer too many benefits in terms of performance, at least compared to the lineup as it stands now. After all, the Stingray can already sprint to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds, while the Z06 C8 is estimated to complete the test in 2.6 seconds, and the upcoming Zora C8 around the 2-second mark. Given the heft of batteries, it’s unlikely an electrified Corvette C8 would keep up.
There’s even more to throw against this idea. The Corvette C8 is produced exclusively at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky, a facility that already requires adaptation to fit hybrid components for the upcoming E-Ray and Zora variants, while a fully electric Corvette C8 would require further retooling. And that’s a lot of work for a relatively small plant that’s already struggling to fulfill demand.
In our humble opinion, a fully electric Corvette C8 is the least likely scenario here.
Electric Corvette C9
Another possibility is the introduction of a fully electric Corvette for the next-gen C9, which is still several years away. Nevertheless, a model like this would be fully engineered to incorporate Ultium components right from the get-go. Incidentally, GM has said that an electric Corvette “would follow,” the E-Ray, but declined to specify a timeframe. As such, a new C9 model could possibly offer both electric and ICE powertrains, although we’re just speculating at this point.
A Completely Different Model With A Corvette Badge
The third scenario would take a page out of the Ford playbook, specifically what the Blue Oval brand did with the Mustang in creating the Mach-E. Rumors of a fully electric Corvette crossover have been swirling for a while now, as has the rumor that GM is working on a family of Corvette products. That said, creation of a new electric Corvette crossover to rival the Mustang Mach-E sounds like a bad idea, given the Corvette is marketed as a more upscale and costly vehicle than the Mustang. Instead, the Chevy Camaro would be the better match to morph into a Mustang Mach-E competitor, at least logically.
Still, we could see an electric Corvette crossover to rival the current crop of luxury brand, performance-oriented utility vehicles, such as the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX, something which would ride on BEV3 and incorporate all the usual GM Ultium technology expected.
We’ll keep our ear to the ground and relay anything of note. Until then, make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and 24/7 GM news coverage.
Comments
Maybe a Taycan or upcoming electric Macan rival? I’d be down for either.
In my humble opinion when the Corvette looses the internal combustion engine it will no longer be Corvette. I’ve owned twelve and almost every generation. The history of Corvette is the perfection of that drive train. Fine if GM is determined to go all electric that’s up to them but it won’t be a Corvette! I’m glad I aged with the real Corvette’s over the years. I’d still like someone to tell how they will deal with lithium mining health issues and battery disposal. Just my two cents worth.
I’ve aged along with GM & Corvette’s. These Tree Huggers seem to be clueless where the electricity comes from to recharge their $50K+ EV’s, all Fossil Fuels. Electric vehicles may sound good but the electricity just don’t come out of your household outlets, power plants run Oil, Coal, or Nuclear power to get to those outlets. I have yet to see alternative energy such as windmills, or solar panels which are unreliable, which is an understatement, to power the millions, possibly billions of EV’s that will flood the world market.
As a long time, loyal customer of GM for more than 50 years, if the Corvette goes all electric my C8 IS the last Corvette parked in my garage. I may be just an ageing, knuckle dragging veteran and may go the way of the Do Do Bird along with all GM’s internal combustion engines. IMHO It’s doubtful EV’s will become efficient in my lifetime, Thank God, I’m just going to enjoy this awesome C8 until the wheels fall off, or someone may be throwing dirt over my decaying body, whichever comes first.
EV’s are NOT in my future………
C8ron, if you are like me (an all most 60 year Chevrolet loyalist) I am not to concerned what will happen in 2035!
EE40300,
Wow, you’re “cashin’ in” early! I’m cozyin’ up on 82 and fully expect to be wakin’ up on the green side of the sod in 2035! I firmly believe that age is a state of mind. My bucket list is getting longer. There’s so much that I want to see and do!
Granted, I come from good genes. My Mom passed at 94 and my Dad made it to the century mark.
Oh, by the way, I am still working and making a living at it! Driving a 2018 C7 Z06/Z07/3LZ all over the country, too!
Montana Bob
Well, Bob I also come from good genes, my Mother was 96 and my Dad made it to 103! I don’t think I’ll make that far. A Corvette SUV may be in the cards.
God less You, I truly hope you too see the century mark! 🍀👍🙏
Thank You 🙏
Thanks for being selfish C8ron and giving a sh1t for the future generations in this country! You know where I work at UPS dirty disgusting ICE gas and diesel powered truck come in the building at night and you have to hold your breath least you suck in those wonderful exhaust fumes that I thought went away in the 1970’s. Your stuck in the stone age you have no vision of the future… You Baby Boomer generation is what’s wrong with this country and why we have to pay such high prices for every d*mn thing… Your the Loser TROLL!
Chevy Man? Sounds like one of the scared of everything, afraid of everything, gender confused, soft as a marshmallow, everyone gets a participation trophy generation. Get back to your safe space snowflake.
Why can’t the BIG MOUTH C8Ron answer me? All tough in comments but no answer… Like I said before I am tired of paying for your over spending baby boomer generation… Move over the Snowman is coming through! Lol snowflake I like that term what does that make you Montavious an old gezzer sucking wind checking all the Milfs and hoping and praying oil does not go away!
Okay Big Mouth, go to some foreign land and leave your blood on their soil and come back and talk to me. What an IDIOT @Chevy Man, or should I say Boy. I doubt you would have the Ballz to do so! I Paid my Dues, you’ve done nothing for me….
Well, humm, Gasoline vehicles are 50 times cleaner than they used to be in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and Diesel Vehicles are at least 5 times cleaner….Oil Refineries – necessary for modern living – will always produce a significant portion of product as Gasoline – so it might as well be disposed of CLEANLY by modern ICE vehicles.
For farm equipment – there is certainly always going to be the need for labor-Saving Diesel Engines for the foreseeable future…. Unless you want $500 Steaks and $200 hamburgers…
I drive mostly electric cars – but still maintain one of the 3 as a plug-in hybrid so that I can always go someplace in emergencies..
If Ford and GM ignorantly decide to TOTALLY ABANDON Internal Combustion Vehicles, then Ram and Jeep will fill in the void, since these vehicles MUST continue to be sold, if people are to remain generally prosperous.
Only a few countries that are taking this Global Warming BS serious that they are doing something about it, it’s like peeing into the wind. The worse Polluters in the world like China, India, and so many more are polluting away and not lifting a finger to help clean the air. America is the one paying the Lion’s share for green energy and we will NEVER, EVER get there, not doing it alone! So for you, the clueless, classless, indoctrinated lefturd, Have a Nice Day………….. Troll
I completely agree with. I have six cars in the garage, I won’t need to buy another. Frankly I would rather ride a bicycle. Electrics have been around since the late 1800’s and still don’t excite this 78 year old.
C8ron,
Couldn’t have said it better!
I absolutely love my C7 Z06/Z07/3LZ! I can’t remember the last time that I drove the car in “silent mode”, and I’ve driven my car all over the country. My wife would slap me up the side of my head if I switched the NPP to engage the mufflers. What we don’t use is the radio, as the engine produces all of the music!
Nah, you guys can have your full-sized “slot cars”.
I wonder if they’ll get rid of the “loud pedal” opting instead for a hand-held slot car controller!
Thanks, C8ron for your accurate piece!
Montana Bob
So You didn’t have fun with your slot cars as a kid?? just asking…
I loved my train sets and slot car tracks, they were very fun.
I also had a box full of Matchbox and hot wheel cars that I used to carry every where,
aren’t slot tracks and matchboxes the first time you started loving cars actually??
Technically a slot track car was the first car I ever drove by myself 😉 maybe you too??
Yes, the snap over steer in the corners sucked!!!!! but they were very fun
I Live in Palm Springs, Ca. 95% of all of our power comes from wind and solar , Coachella Valley has had wind farms for decades. It has been a VERY RELIABLE source of energy for decades, So whether you like it or not Wind and solar is going to be future and yes you are a knuckle dragging neanderthal , who is obviously a typical Corvette owner( middle aged , mid life crisis, knuckle dragging male).
Funny You are typical stereotype, so your opinion is pretty much moot. I bet you are also dating a 25 year old blond with fake tits too!!!
Good riddance, I will be the first to drop a shovel full of dirt on your grave.
Can we call Dr. Kevorkian? I know he has a machine that can speed up this process……..
Let me guess C8ron thumbs down??
I was only agreeing with your own assessment of yourself
you declared yourself the old knuckle dragging stereotype that needed someone to shovel dirt on your decaying body, I was only offering My services at Your service………………
You Got It 👎 Might be the 1st Website to stop visiting. If it weren’t for people like me, you might not even be here today. Didn’t realize this site had so many spoiled, Indoctrinated, elitist.
Yup I’m an old Combat Veteran and Damn Proud of it! 💜🫡
These anti EV people crack me up,
If you all lived back before electricity, you would sound like this
“Those new fangled lightbulbs, it’s damn witchcraft I tell you, light from a wire coming out of the wall?!?!?”
I will stick with my candle thank you very much!!!!
Just because You don’t believe in the future doesn’t stop it from happening……….
The clock moves forward not backwards at my house
Well Said
Stop the presses everyone
I just got off the phone with Mary Barra, She has decided to cancel all future EV’s
C8ron and Robert have convinced Her EV owners are Big giant dummyheads and aren’t smartified enough to know how the real world works
Tom: Just another Tree Hugging Troll that hasn’t done his homework but why should he? #LetsGoBrandon is EV is the only way to go, that Tom’s Man, $7.+ a Gallon in Commiefornia! Must be nice to have a Direct Line to Mary Barra. Good Luck Tom and Have a Nice Day. 😷
Ok boomer
There’s always going to be Trolls, not using their brain matter for what it was intended for. How Sad this is all they have to do all day…… 😷
Takes one to know one , so you would know best………………….
How does that bridge look from under there???
ROFLMAO @ C8ron
you post here too, so how are you any different??
when you post you are a “Chevy Guy” when others post they are “trolls”
you are obviously not using YOUR brain matter
“Please” tell me why you are on a Corvette Forum and pushing EV’s?
Tom: I’m done with you, you’re a lost cause. Thank You for offering to be there to help bury my Knuckle Dragging Veteran Arse 🙏 Have a nice day
I imagine something similar to the strategy with the Silverado EV. A very similar vehicle, but based on the Ultium platform and sold alongside the traditional ICE C8. Corvette is one of the last vehicles enthusiasts will want to see for electric and not offer a rumbling engine. And I am willing to bet Corvette is the model that will retire ICE at GM. An electric Corvette will help expand the target market to a new audience, while the C8 in parallel will appease the traditionalists until the inevitable occurs.
How long and at what cost is it going to take for people to understand the downside issues of going all electric? Billions of dollars for wind mills that failed or froze in cold weather being burried in the middle of no where to start with. Not to mention all the protected birds that die from them. The climate dangers of mining materials to make batteries around the world by countries that cause more climate dangers than here in the U.S.A.. Then the disposal of the old batteries and where to bury them. When we get to where we have to use horses again and we will be told the methane is bad so now we have to get rid of them! When will this stop? Tomg
You are aware that cars are the most recycled consumer product right. The vast vast majority are stripped bear of all recyclables and reused. Which will include those batteries and electronics that contain all that valuable rare Earth metals.
How about just concentrating on getting caught up on deposits that have been placed as much as three years ago for c8s and z06s.
I am 71 and have a deposit on a Z06. Hopefully, I will be around to take delivery and enjoy it. At the pace they are going I anticipate I will get a 2024 if I am lucky. As far as all these car manufacturers stopping ICEs by 2035 is very aggressive and optimistic and I guarantee the date will be pushed out. There is no way in hell this country can build out the electrical grid, infrastructure, and charging stations to support all EV’s. The next time you are out driving (especially on an interstate), imagine all those vehicles around you on the highway being EV’s and being able to pull off the highway to get charged. The Climate Change proponents at some point need to accept that fossil fuels will be around for at least the next 100 + years in order for the world to survive.
As much I would like to see a model of an electric Corvette…. I would like more to see an EV trim on the current model Camaro make it a coupe, crossover, sedan (this worked for Dodge with charger) and keep selliing the ICE model. BTW solar and wind power work great in Sussex county NJ where I live they help supplement the fossil fuel burning plants… I don’t get it people would rather drive something like I had in front of me the other day a car burning oil spewing out blackish grey smoke and it stunk to high heaven even with the windows up… Somehow according to baby boomers this is OK!
My first thought was that a Corvette without an exhaust note would not be very appealing. I was thinking of my 1965 side pipe Corvette. But then I thought about my 2001 with stock mufflers and very little exhaust sound. With the 2001 I don’t miss hearing the exhaust when I’m on the road. Maybe at a cruise-in.
I fully expect the C9 to be a EV car or Hybrid of sone nature.
These deadlines are on sliding scales and I expect the Vette to be one of the last to change.
All the sports cars are entering the Hybrid stage at this point and all will change over at some point.
While I will hate too see it go it will not be the end of the world. Though I do plan to buy a Z06 before ICE is gone.
The C9 will be built for EV and could be very different than what we are used to.
I am not a fan but we will need to learn to play the cards we are dealt.
Electric is fine when it can do what the ICE can do range , cost etc.
Corvette SUV…retire the name first.
Just like all other political agendas – the wholesale transition to all EVs has not been thoroughly thought out – not the least of which are the downsides.
Well – GM DID at one point say they would not come out with an Electric Silverado….
Then Ford released the F-150 lightning…. I had no idea that upcoming models were so successfully kept secret from others.
Then GM did an about face. Since Monkey-See-Monkey-Do applies especially when looking at a competitor like Ford.
To date, the fastest production car is a Tesla. An electric Corvette would blow any of the other Italian sports cars off the road.
Yes the future is electric but the Corvette could be one of the last ICE GM vehicles with the body-on-frame SUVs. Maybe an ICE C9 till 2030 and the C10.
Wow, that Corvette crossover looks like *#^!
I can see it now. Once NASCAR, F1, SCCA etc go electric it’ll take 2 weeks to complete a race due to pit stop recharge times.
We want to save energy
Going 0 to 60 in 4 sec doesn’t save much
Speed limit out west on interstate 80 mph
So they drive 85
What gets better mph the faster you go ?
I think the C8 and C9 will live on together for a while. That’s if they continue to us the C moniker. With the introduction of Zora and E-Ray GM could start using names only behind the Corvette name. Oh also I think a SUV will be first.
“we’re just speculating at this point.”!!!
Just get a Koenigsegg Regera and be done with it. LOL
GM Killed The Electric Car…
Yep, absolutely did everything in GM’s power to prevent EVs. Now, GM CEO Mary Barra says GM is the EV leader. Of course that’s as believable as when she said GM only ‘Confirmed’ that GM had Killed 13 Americans; Ms Barra knew they had Killed over 125.
So after having Killed the EV, GM wants you to believe they’ve resurrected the EV.
It’s blurred out, but the electric Vette might be in the background in the Hummer development doc. You can see a white Targa top coupe of some kind.
The EV Corvette will have to come very soon, as the market and politics are currently demanding 100% EV vehicles even if the raw materials are no longer available.
When the EV Corvette and a new “EV-SAV-Corvette” come then this will probably be very interesting. With the EV Corvette, a new very flat front and side line should be developed for very good aerodynamics as very little drag! The next “EV-SAV-Corvette” should also be developed with the battery layout in the floor similar to the Chevrolet SAV kit because it is state-of-the-art and competitors such as Porsche and Mercedes-Benz will use identical technology.
The EV Corvette will certainly have to come with a mid-engine layout so that, as with the next EV Ferrari, the “mid-engine driving experience” can be offered to the customer due to the “battery mass”. Incidentally, the Lotus Elise Tesla EV was also built in this way and as you know, it worked!
And then I wish all Corvette owners and fans a nice ICE time …
Notice how all the ” I hate electric” folks avoid talking about how they compare- just an emotional response to things that are changing. You know, Detroit gives not one sh*t what 60 year Olds think about new vehicles. They saw brands die when they are perceived as old man’s cars… and have been trying to get the average age of buyers down for decades. No matter how hard it is to deal with electrical distribution issues, the main advantage of electric is the efficiency of the motors- well over double the eff of heat engines (30 vs 95) All these bone heads ignore that once you find away to efficiently get electricity to the batteries, ICE engines are dead. ICE is BAD for efficiency when low speed torque is required. The ICE vettes of today will get smoked by permanent magnet motors with modern drives ( vector, variable freq, etc..). The ICE corvette of 2022 is a dead man walking performance wise…
Couldn’t have said it better Duffer… Once EV is perfected and you can go 400-700 miles on a charge and the price comes down then ICE will be old tech… remember before Henry Ford made the Model T cheap cars where very expensive and not everybody owned one and even then people were still afraid of buying an ICE powered car! No one is forcing anything on anyone Biden will be out of office by the time EV tech becomes big time even if he does two terms. We can’t keep the strangle hold on oil forever the Games thst are played with the price of gas is ridiculous I agree that ICE vehicles are running much clearer let’s see where all this goes!
Duffer: Its the “Mark Twain” Principle:
I Love Progress; Its CHANGE that I don’t Like !
Wow sounds like CHEVYMAN was dropped on his head when he was a baby or molested by his uncle maybe found out his wife is a carpet muncher a lot of anger issues.
No anger here Don I am just not into selfish stupidity… We as a country should care about the future generations in this country I have a two year old son now I know the air we breathe will never ever be 100 percent clean but a little bit cleaner would be nice he and other children in the future can choose to buy ICE or EV? This one or the other won’t work people have to have choices… But please don’t be a 78 year old stumbling block.
Don, WTF? We were attempting to discuss the technical issues regarding electric versus gas engines. How does respondent’s childhood issue speculation come into play? Might be OK if it was remotely funny. What a douche canoe.
I hope the next Adminstration gets rid of the $7,500 EV welfare credit. No subsidies for any vehicles. Tax payers shouldn’t have to subsidize EVs. If EVs are so great, then let the compet without the welfare credit.
Agreed. If it works… buy it.
What Corvette owner wasn’t to replace the marvelous LS engine with an electric motor? I work for a company that sells parts for the C1-C8 Corvette and I have not spoken with any customer that wants an electric anything much less an Electric Corvette. Is GM’s new business model ignoring the customer and telling them they will buy electric cars by 2035 or they can go to Hades?