It looks like the electric eCOPO Camaro that GM built last year didn’t sell at a recent auction.
Back in August, we learned that the eCOPO Chevrolet Camaro was to be sold during Monterey Car Week. As a refresher, the eCOPO Camaro was designed in collaboration with Hancock and Lane Racing for the sole purpose of creating an electric powertrain that could be installed in place of current small-block V8 engines.
And they did it thanks to an 800-volt battery pack, a "Turbo 400" automatic transmission, a solid rear axle, and a pair of BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motor assemblies each with 300 lb-ft of torque. Combined they made over 700 horsepower and sat directly where you'd normally find a big, hulking V8 engine.
A video from earlier this year showcased the eCOPO Camaro's capabilities, running a quarter-mile in just 10.14 seconds at 130 mph. That was only at 80% power, however, and we're told that with all 800 volts it can run as fast as 9.3 seconds at over 140 mph.
Which sounds like something you’d expect drag racing enthusiasts to get excited about. The prototype was expected to fetch anywhere from $425,000 to $525,000 at auction considering it’s a high-performance, one-off prototype that you can actually win drag races with. What’s not to love?
Well, either people don’t like the Camaro or they don’t like the electric powertrain since the poor eCOPO didn’t sell at the Russo and Steele Monterey auction. Auction reps speaking to Muscle Cars & Trucks confirmed that there was no sale of the eCOPO, which likely means the reserve price was never reached during the auction process.
(A reserve price is a value at which the seller “reserves the right” to not actually sell the item if the final auction price isn’t higher than the reserve price.)
We know that the Camaro is scheduled to end its life at the end of 2023 with no 7th-gen vehicle to take its place. Maybe Chevy will bring the maligned muscle car back later, but for now, it looks like the Camaro is heading the way of the dodo.