General Motors will release the AWD electric Chevy Corvette next year
During a CNBC appearance on Monday morning, General Motors President Mark Reuss revealed that a battery-powered AWD electric Chevy Corvette C8 will be coming very soon. While he couldn’t specify when the EV will be available, he did suggest that a hybrid version of the sports vehicle would also be available next year.
Since the 1960s, the Corvette has been associated with massive V8 power, establishing the distinctive sound of Chevrolet race cars ripping around courses from Lime Rock to Le Mans. With the mid-engined Corvette C8, the powertrain is going to get a makeover of its own.
Many assume the new AWD electric Chevy Corvette C8 will be named the “E-Ray”. Although we’ll have to wait for more details on the American marque’s next luxury sports car, any electrified Corvette is bound to generate a lot of buzz, and the idea has already sparked a lot of discussion.
There are bound to be those purists who are anxious about what Monday’s announcement means for the cherished V-8 in the Corvette. Powerful engines and loud exhausts have long been synonymous with the Corvette. While a fully quiet Corvette could irritate some enthusiasts, GM is confident in its abilities to attract new customers.
Production of the gas-powered variants aren’t to end anytime soon, as Reuss has stated that they will continue to be built alongside the AWD electric Chevy Corvette. On that premise, GM announced last year that they would end production of all gas and diesel-powered vehicles by 2035.
The E-Ray would be the company’s newest electric car. GM already has announced the electric versions of the Chevy Equinox, Blazer SUVs, and the Silverado pickup truck. Chevy would be in the vanguard of GM’s $35 billion quest to electrify its entire portfolio by 2040 when their new line of EVs arrive. In addition, GM is currently producing the Bolt EV and EUV, the Hummer EV pickup and SUV, the GMC Sierra EV, and the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq.