Although still not confirmed, the 8th-generation Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is something you should definitely look forward to; it will combine an e-AWD drivetrain with hybrid hardware resulting in a first for the American sports car and presumably a leap forward in performance.
Chevy admirers can look forward to a thoroughly modern sports car with front-and-rear-driven wheels and effortless acceleration thanks to the hybrid hardware on board.
UPDATED OCTOBER 2022: Chevrolet haven't released more information regarding the upcoming hybrid Corvette yet, although there has been a confirmation regarding the vehicle by GM, there was an incident in Spain with a prototype, and the hybrid sports car segment has meanwhile been growing steadily since 2021 - we take another look at the E-Ray.
The E-Ray May Come With The Stingray's 6.2 Liter V8 Engine
GM Motors came up with a term to describe the type of all-wheel drive system that their future set of cars will be rolling out with: eAWD.
It refers to an all-wheel-drive system capable of sending power to the wheels through electric motors.
One thing the E-Ray will share with the C8 Corvette is the 6.2-liter V8 engine that it is likely to come with - it will probably also use an electric motor or a pair of motors on the front axel with the LT2 V8 gas engine up back.
This naturally-aspirated V8 engine comes with solid fuel-saving features like active fuel management and direct injection that contribute to its fuel saving tech as well as making ample levels of power and torque.
A variant of the C8, the Z06, will come with a different 5.5 liter, naturally aspirated V8 engine, a flat-plane-crankshaft design; it will also feature world-class power output for a naturally-aspirated engine of around 670 hp.
The code name of the engine is LT6, and it is an impressive V8 engine which, fittingly, will likely be a swan song of sorts for the pure-gasoline sports car, as hybrids become the standard later on.
A Wide Body Compared To The Stingray Highlights The E-Ray's Exterior
Via: Instagram via rostislav_prokop
From the images spotted so far, the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray spots a wider exterior/body, when compared to the Stingray, its chassis is even wider as well as its body.
Spy shots reveal little with regard to physical details of the possible hybrid, as any exterior features could also be subject to change up until production begins, but Chevrolet are unlikely to mess too much with the aesthetic of the current Corvette.
A hybrid Corvette-based prototype was also testing (and power sliding) in the snow in a tweet from Chevrolet in April 2022, but the main visible difference were the yellow brake calipers under all the disguised exterior.
When Is The E-Ray Expected?
Asides from the E-Ray, Chevrolet is also planning to release the high-power, 5.5-liter Corvette Z06 variant - there won't be any Corvette Grand Sport though in the Corvette C8 line of cars.
Either way, the Corvette E-Ray got hinted for a possible release by at least 2023 with a fully-electric Corvette to follow.
As mentioned, aside from the fact that it will be a hybrid, we expect the sports car to come as a 2-door coupe with removable hardtop panel, and it may come as a hardtop convertible as well.
The Chevy Corvette E-Ray Versus The Competition
In an unfortunate turn of events, a supposed Corvette E-Ray testing prototype burnt to the ground in Spain this year and got widely reported on by several automotive outlets.
Road And Track magazine reported on the fire too, and since then, they updated the article:
Chevy contacted the outlet to say that the vehicle on fire was not an E-Ray testing mule nor an electrified vehicle of any kind.
This year General Motors officially confirmed via the Chevrolet Twitter page the future of the fully-electric Corvette, which will come after the hybrid version. The hybrid could come as early as 2023 - also, either version of the car could use the E-Ray name.
One thing is for sure; the E-Ray will not be entering the sports hybrid market as a pioneer - there are already well-known supercars such as the McLaren Artura and Ferrari 296 GTB and more sports car will also become hybridized very soon.
Cars like the Lotus Emira will get electrified for the next generation and the Porsche 911 model line is set to include a hybrid by as early as 2025, but either way the electric 'Vette is a first for the flagship American sports car and will be pushing boundaries for the brand as a whole.