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Corvette EV Has To Make The Car Better, Says Chief Engineer: Video

The implications of GM’s commitment to fully electrify its light-duty vehicle lineup by 2035 extend to The General’s sports cars as well – including the Chevy Corvette. Indeed, rumors that GM is cooking up an all-electric Vette have been swirling for years now, although the exact form factor is still very much a matter of debate. Now, Corvette Chief Engineer Tony Roma has said that a Corvette EV won’t be simply for the sake of electrification.

Corvette Chief Engineer Tony Roma recently spoke on the potential of a Corvette EV.

Tony Roma

Roma recently sat down with CBS News to discuss the latest developments with the mid-engine C8, including the new C8 ZR1. However, the discussion eventually turned to EVs and how GM’s electrification strategy it could affect America’s Sports Car.

“We talk about this a lot. We talk about this with enthusiasts, my friends, other engineers,” Roma said in regard to whether or not an internal combustion engine was essential to the Corvette nameplate.

“We’re not going to apply electrification just for the sake of it,” Roma said. “We don’t put technology on just for technology’s sake. It kind of has to earn its way in, has to make the car better in some way that our customers are going to respond to.”

While fans will no doubt have their own interpretation of Roma’s words, the implications seem clear – GM is obviously taking a hard look at the possibilities of a Corvette EV and how the beloved nameplate will make the transition to all-electric power, a topic that’s no doubt hugely controversial among the purists.

Roma took on the role of Corvette Chief Engineer following the departure of Tadge Juechter, the latter of whom left GM in July after nearly 50 years with the company. During his tenure, Juechter helped to lead development of the C7 and C8 Corvette. Prior to serving as Executive Chief Engineer at GM’s newly formed Global Corvette and performance Cars team, Roma served as Chief Engineer for the all-electric Cadillac Celestiq ultra-luxury sedan.

Check out the video below for the full interview, as well as insight into GM’s electrification strategy from company CEO Mary Barra. The Corvette EV discussion can be found around the four-minute, 30-second mark:

Although it remains pure speculation, some rumors point to the possibility of an all-electric Corvette EV sedan or crossover, or even a variety of different products under a full-fledged Corvette sub-brand.

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Corvette should stay the way it’s always been.

    Reply
  2. Corvette EV shouldn’t exist ever. Neither should the Corvette SUV or the Corvette Sedan.

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    1. Hey John,

      As a 2021 C8 owner I understand your reluctance to broaden the Corvette offerings to vehicles other than a sports car. I thought Porsche was crazy when they first offered the Cayenne, but, well, you know the rest. The huge profits that Porsche made on their crossovers allowed them to keep making the 911, and expand the sports car offerings. FYI, I would sell my Rubicon in a second if there was a Corvette crossover that looked as striking as the C8 and could handle well, too. NO EV CORVETTES, EVER!

      Reply
  3. As a guy who has owned a ton of Corvettes, I have no interest in a EV Corvette. I would not want to collect an EV. I would not want one as a “drive it a few thousand miles a year” toy because the battery has a limited life span. Now I have to worry about mileage and battery life as factory in depreciation. I could see it for someone using it as a daily on a lease but not as an enthusiast car. I’m keeping my 2024 Z06 forever and am doing my best to get a ZR1 allocation to also keep forever. If Corvette goes EV, I’m going to have to find a new manufacturer.

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    1. It’s a myth that EV batteries fail quickly. Lots of evidence and YouTube videos about 10 year old batteries with very high capacity. I’m an ICE fan with a diesel Chevy truck and a turbo Porsche 911 but electric vehicles are the future, maybe not in 5-10 years but certainly 20. I keep my vehicles a long time but look forward to adding a high performance EV at some point.

      Reply
  4. I have an idea for the EV Corette to make it great.
    Put an ICE engine in it.

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    1. While you are at it, offer the new Hummer with a DuraMax or a LT4.

      Reply
  5. The ZORA Hybrid with a zillion HP should take care of the EV people..No for me on a 100% EV Corvette..I have a 24 Z06 and will get a ZR1 at some point, never a ZORA….Each is own..

    Reply
  6. I hope and believe that Corvette should NEVER be built as a suv or crossover or electric period. It will absolutely ruin a beloved automobile. Turn anything else in your stable to EV. But please Do Not ruin the Corvette. Leave it with ice engines.

    Reply
  7. I wouldn’t own a EV Vette if was half the price. I’ve had and still have many
    Vettes.

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  8. GM went bankrupt once because of poor management and stagnant car lines.Now they want to go all ev and who the hell wants an all ex corvette.Listen to your customers not the government and give the people what it want!!!Mary has got to go🤬

    Reply
  9. I’m ok with them building an EV corvette, but like Mr. Roma says it better make sense. It has to be an excellent car or they will catch a lot of grief from Corvette enthusiasts. Even if they do build an Ev, they could continue to build an ICE version and sell both. Let the sales numbers dictate what they do in the future.

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    1. I’m ok with an EV if there are still ICE options but the amount of development on two unrelated platforms for the volume makes that highly unlikely.

      Right now there are a lot of shared resources between Stingray, ERay, Z06, and ZR1. An EV Corvette shares more with a Hummer.

      The C8 has to be the most profitable series in the history of Corvette. Hopefully the bean counters make a case for keeping ICE options.

      I would rather see GM do a EV Camaro. I’m sure it could be an AWD rocket but it will be heavier than a MOPAR so it will not handle “like a Corvette”. Even if it did, I would not want to own one because EV batteries have a shelf life. Google the McLaren P1 Battery and imagine that problem on a car that is not worth $1M+. A ton of the batteries in P1’s are no longer viable and those cars are only about 10 years old. Even if I don’t drive my ICE Corvettes much they are always there for me and are a few hours of my time away from road worthy.

      Reply
  10. P1 was not a high volume car, like the Lexus LFA (which competed with the Corvette at one point, and the LFR would do the same thing).

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  11. My most recent Corvette purchase was a low-mileage Base C5 on 16 April 2016 (I couldn’t turn it down for the price!). Packing home-made lunches, yesterday’s single-day drive was a comfortable 10 hour (538 mile) return from vacation, during which it took the normal biological breaks for my wife and I along with qty. (2) 10-minute refueling stops. As a retired automotive engineer I’m an EV hopeful, but will probably remain on the sidelines until that level of practicality can be demonstrated. I do earnestly hope to be surprised before I find myself pushing up daisies. Ha!

    Reply
  12. GM is simply following Uncle Sam’s instructions
    It’s sad that it’s being forced to
    GM has seen its best days
    I fully agree that NOT listening to the customer is surely the easiest way to meet your demise

    Reply
  13. Nobody here is interested in taking responsibility for their pollution of the environment. Fossil fuels are poison, they cause cancer and many other diseases especially of the lungs. The end of burning fossil fuels is coming and I can’t wait to see the first Corvette EV.

    Reply
  14. Another ignoramus who thinks lithium batteries don’t contribute to pollution, and they recharge by magic, not electricity generated by “fossil” fuels. I love it when they get perturbed. These unhappy miscreants’ only goal is to make us as miserable as they are. When Trump gets back in they’ll get even crazier and more incoherent. “Drill, baby, drill.” Hahaha!

    Reply
  15. No sound, not better. No sound, no fun. No sound, no muscle car. A real car must inspire all 6 senses…hearing, vision, touch, smell, taste, psyche.

    Reply

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