General Motors may have sent some fans of the Chevrolet Corvette to their nearest chemist for blood pressure medication this year, after previewing a couple of EV sports cars.
Two Corvette concepts – one from GM’s new UK design studio and another from its California team – have shown what the model could look like in the future if it does go all-electric, providing even more freedom for its overall shape.
Chevrolet made clear both Corvette EV concepts won’t be put into production, however we’re now in fifth year of the C8 Corvette, which means it’s coming up on the limit for production of its predecessors, and a new ‘C9’ could be not too far away.
While going electric could happen in the Corvette’s future, General Motors President, Mark Reuss, has told the InsideEVs Podcast that the ingredients aren’t there yet to give the iconic model full battery power.
“It [a Corvette EV] can be done. We’ve shown a slew of concept cars that are electric based,” Reuss said.
“I wouldn’t say the propulsion system was something that was true to form on those concept cars, but [it was] very interesting, allowed us to do a lot of different things, which electric vehicles do on form and design, and the aesthetic piece.
“But I think the status of the electrified corvette is the ZR1X that I’m driving now, and that’s awesome. It’s using electricity to do the right things with a Corvette. All-wheel drive, 1200hp+, using it for power, using it for speed, using it for ride and handling, using it for traction is [a] a great use of electricity on a Corvette.
“An all-electric Corvette, to make a Corvette do what a Corvette’s supposed to do, is not something that’s easy right now. What I’m talking about is when you get into mass from a vehicle dynamics standpoint, when you get into thermal performance.
“You can make advances in those, which we have, but I’m not sure the character of the Corvette and a buyer of the Corvette is ready to be the recipient of that effort quite yet.
“Never say never, that’s why we’ve got to keep investing in technology, and R&D.”
The Corvette ZR1X Reuss referenced is the model’s ultimate flagship, merging the twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine from the ZR1 with the front electric motor from the E-Ray to produce more than 900kW and 1200Nm.
Chevrolet hasn’t released a top speed figure for the ZR1X, though its circa-100kW power advantage over the 375km/h ZR1 suggests it could go even faster.
In July, the Corvette ZR1X – and the non-electrified ZR1 – dethroned the Ford Mustang GTD as the fastest American cars around the Nordschleife, though the Corvettes were listed in the Prototype/Pre-Production category, rather than as sports cars, as they’re not being sold in Europe.
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