2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Debuts as First-Ever Electrified Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most iconic sportscar to ever grace the tarmac. Since its 1953 debut, the Corvette nameplate has been donning a slew of high performance cars, only to rival by its stunning looks and design. Throughout its seven decades of history, the ‘Vette has undergone few minor design changes for every generation, with the eighth-gen iteration barring the most dramatic changes of all.

The C8 Corvette saw Chevrolet swapping the long-standing front engine, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) setup for a mid-engine, RWD instead – the first Corvette to sport one. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the storied nameplate, the American marque has introduced a new Corvette model with perhaps the most ground-breaking changes the ‘Vette has ever gone through, dubbed as the Corvette E-Ray.

The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray debuts as the first-ever Corvette to harness an electrified powertrain. Based on the C8-gen Corvette, the hybrid E-Ray sees the standard 6.8-litre V8 mill being paired with a hybrid motor setup that offers an unparalleled performance compared to any ‘Vette cars to date.

The LT2 6.8-litre V8 engine harnessed by the E-Ray is derived from its pure-combustion sibling, the C8 Corvette Stingray that by itself, is capable of producing 495 HP and 637 NM. This is complemented by a hybrid electric motor rated at 160 HP and 165 NM that is mounted on its front axle, which essentially makes it an all-wheel-drive (AWD) car – the first-ever Corvette to have so.

Both the V8 engine and hybrid motor work in tandem to deliver a total output of 665 HP, good enough to grant the E-Ray a sub-3-second finish in a 0 to 100 KM/H sprint, making it the fastest production Corvette ever. Chevrolet claims that the E-Ray is also capable of finishing a quarter-mile drag in only 10.5 seconds at a speed of 209 KM/H.

Powering said hybrid motor is a small 1.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which grants the E-Ray an electric-only cruising speed, dubbed as the Stealth mode, at 72 KM/H – which is useful when driving this supercar in sleepy neighbourhoods.

Beyond the electrified powertrain, the new Corvette is primed with other performance features that sets it apart from the standard C8. Said features include the Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 suspension system, as well as the high-performance Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.

Just like the standard C8 Corvette, the E-Ray comes in either coupe or convertible body styles, while sharing most of its design cues from the up-specced Z06 Corvette. This includes the aggressive front fascia with more prominent horizontal elements, as well as the rear part, where the vented rear bumper is mated with blacked-out rear diffuser that houses the quad tailpipes.

On the side, you’ll notice that the E-Ray sports a staggered wheels setup of 20-and 21-inch, all wrapped in a Michelin Pilot Sport all-season tyre. Customers are spoiled with four aluminium wheel designs, as well as a single carbon fibre option. Aside from the wheels, the E-Ray also comes with other optional design features, such as the carbon fibre kit, black exhaust tips, as well as bright badging instead of the standard carbon-finished badging.

Apart from the wheels and additional bits, customers will be able to select up to 14 exterior colourways for the new Corvette hybrid, including the new Riptide Blue, Seawolf Grey, as well as Cacti. Also new to the E-Ray is the exclusive body stripe, finished in Electric Blue.

Inside the cabin, drivers are greeted by the dual-display layout, consisting of the digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen. The squared-off steering wheel is finished with both leather and carbon fibre trims, with a contrasting colour stitching to match. The carbon-leather combo is also implemented on the rest of the cabin space, including the button-laden central console area, door cards, as well as the front dash.

Furthermore, this hybrid supercar is not lacking in safety department, as it sports a slew of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane-Keep Assist (LKA) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Forward Collision Alert (FCA), and many more.

The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is poised to go on sale later this year, though Chevy has yet to disclose the exact date. For its domestic market, the E-Ray starts at US$104,295 (RM450,345) for the 1LZ coupe and $111,295 (RM480,576) for the 1LZ convertible, both excluding the destination fee and optional add-ons.