Zac Quinn 
Spy photos have recently emerged showcasing camouflaged Chevrolet C8 Corvette development vehicles testing at the Nürburgring during industry pool testing. Based on GM’s product cadence, these prototypes are the hybrid-assisted Corvette E-Ray supercars. We’re also on the lookout for a C8 Corvette Z06 to set a ‘Ring laptime, which was spoiled last summer by accidents from both Tesla and BMW.
C8 Corvette E-Ray: Details
As our fearless leader Manoli Katakis first reported, we expect output of the C8 Corvette E-Ray to be somewhere around 600 to 750 horsepower, but delivered in a way entirely different from the ethos of the Z06. No flat-plane crank V8 to be found here. No 8,600 RPM redline. And no center-exit exhaust, either. Instead, the C8 Corvette E-Ray shares the LT2 engine with the Stingray, which will power the rear wheels. The electric motors will power the front, making the E-Ray the first AWD production Corvette, as well as the first hybrid production Corvette. The Z06, meanwhile, is exclusively RWD. However, the E-Ray and Z06 will both share the wide body style, and other visual cues.
With electric power and AWD added into the equation, acceleration should be outstanding, as the Corvette E-Ray could go from 0-60 in as little as two seconds. The electric motor alone is reported to be able to propel the E-Ray to 25-35 miles per hour, while also acting as an “e-booster” through the power band, assisting the LT2 V8 engine.
The Corvette E-Ray could arrive in 2024, so we may not see a reveal until sometime next year. Possibly in October, just like the Z06 did in 2021. Considering the Z06 is now a six-figure car, pricing on the E-Ray could be a $120,000 car or more. Still, that’s a bargain compared to, say, the Acura NSX Type S, or an eventual Porsche 911 hybrid.
