First Official Look: 2024 C8 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray!
Chevrolet’s most wildly different Corvette, the E-Ray, has officially debuted as a 2024 model with all-wheel-drive and hybrid power.
Traditionalists will scoff at the combo. All-wheel drive? Hybrid? That’s not what makes a Corvette. But power does make a Corvette, and the 2024 C8 Corvette E-Ray has plenty of it. 655 horsepower, actually. Sure, it’s 100 short from the C7 ZR1, but 655 horsepower is usable through all four contact patches.
Is it fast? Yes. Yes it is. It’s really f***ing fast. Chevrolet claims two incredible numbers for their entry in the talent show. Acceleration to 60 is done in 2.5 seconds. Quarter mile? 10.5. And it does more with less, too because the ZR1 can’t touch those numbers.
According to Car and Driver, the E-Ray might as well be called a Grand Sport. Part of the power – 495 of the ponies – comes from the LT2 V8 we already know and love in the Stingray, like the GS. Also like the GS, enjoys the wide body from its more powerful stablemate. No other Grand Sport had power driven to the front wheels before. But this time, 160 horsepower can be added through the power unit up front. There isn’t a mechanical connection between the front and rear axles, and the V8 only sends power to the rear.
Hybrid power in the E-ray is meant for speed more than green. A tiny 1.1 kWh battery pack produces an electric range of 3-5 miles. Clearly the intent here is for bursts of speed. But it is part of the Corvette’s “Stealth” mode. Thankfully we still get a V8 roar and it hasn’t been neutered to a V6. Since the battery is nestled in the chassis member between the seats, and the drive unit is small, you still get to keep a frunk, too. Inside things stay mostly the same with different displays in the dash for battery life and performance metrics.
Body styles include the coupe and convertible, and prices range from the 1LZ coupe at $102,900 all the way to the 3LZ convertible, at $120,850. So it’s less expensive than the Z7 ZR1, and it is faster. Weirdly, it’s just as fast as the Z06, with a slightly lower MSRP. I guess that’s what you would call progress? We think so, and we can’t wait to see how these things do at the strip with the added power and drive wheels!
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