Chevrolet will reveal its first-ever all-wheel drive hybrid Corvette this month.
The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, which had already been leaked online last month, will be revealed on January 17 according to a video posted on the official Corvette Facebook account.
The teaser video shows the driver toggling between Stealth and Normal modes, with the former expected to make greater (or sole) use of the E-Ray’s electric motor for motivation.
From what we can see from both the new and previously leaked images, the E-Ray seems to use the wider body panels fitted to the Z06.
To help differentiate the two, the vents at the rear, the plastic trim around the side air intakes, and the blade spanning the grille and front intakes are colour-coded instead of being finished in gloss black.
The E-Ray also misses out on the Z06’s front splitters, side sill extensions, and large rear wing.
There doesn’t seem to be a visible flap for a charging port. So, unless Chevrolet has done an exceptional job at hiding it or omitted it from configurator, it seems the E-Ray will be a hybrid rather than a plug-in hybrid.
Earlier reports indicated the E-Ray will come with an electric motor or two for the front axle, with the mid-mounted V8 responsible for driving the rear wheels.
This means the E-Ray will be the first Corvette with all-wheel drive, and will be front-wheel drive when cruising or during gentle acceleration.
It’s unclear where the battery will be placed.
The E-Ray could use the standard Stingray’s mid-mounted 6.2-litre V8 engine, though we’d expect a bump in power – if not, perhaps, to the lofty heights of the Z06.
For reference, the Stingray’s 6.2-litre V8 makes 364kW and 630Nm, while the Z06 uses a 5.5-litre V8 with a flat-plane crank rated at 500kW and 624Nm. Both the Stingray and Z06 have an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard.
One screen cap of the interior shows the E-Ray has the same redline as the Stingray, suggesting it will use the 6.2-litre V8. Near the driver’s knee are buttons for Battery Regenerative Braking and Automatic Engine Start/Stop.
The current C8 Corvette was already a dramatic change for Chevrolet’s flagship, moving the engine from the front to midship. The E-Ray will further shake things up, given every Corvette to date has been rear-wheel drive and none have had any form of electrification.
Further challenging Corvette orthodoxy will be the upcoming full EV variant of the eighth-generation Corvette, which will join the range in the not-too-distant future.
Last month Car and Driver reported GM will turn Corvette into a sub-brand, with a high-performance EV sedan and a Lamborghini Urus-baiting EV crossover due to launch from 2025.
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