Enter the 2024 E-Ray: Chevy Debuts First-Ever AWD, Hybrid Corvette Packing 655 Horsepower
If for some reason you hadn't heard, General Motors is planning some big changes for the Chevrolet Corvette as we know it. Not only is there an all-electric Corvette on the way, word is that there will also be four-door and SUV Corvette EVs hitting the market in the next few years.
The AWD Vette
But before that, Chevy is bridging the gap between gasoline and electric with a new hybrid model based on the current, mid-engined C8 Corvette. Say hello to the 2024 Corvette E-Ray.
Although groundbreaking in many ways when it comes to the Corvette lineage, the E-Ray is a fairly straightforward idea, and one that's been in the works since Corvette moved to its new mid-engined platform.
It should certainly generate a lot interest, and maybe some controversy from longtime 'Vette fans. Behind the driver sits the well-known LT2 6.2 liter V8 mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic like the one the Corvette has used since 2020. And on its own, the V8 makes 495 horsepower.
But what separates the E-Ray from the standard C8 Corvette is the small 1.9 kWh battery pack under the seats, which powers a 160 horsepower electric motor that drives the front wheels.
The result is a combined output of 655 horsepower—and the first production Corvette ever to have all-wheel-drive. Thanks to the boost in power and traction, Chevy says the E-Ray will hit 60 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds and rip a quarter mile in 10.5 seconds.
And though the Corvette E-Ray is not a plug-in-hybrid designed to be operated on electric power alone, it will have a "Stealth Mode" that allows it to travel at parking lot speeds without firing up the V8.
E-Ray or Z06?
Beyond its unique powertrain, the E-Ray will also set itself apart from the standard C8 Corvette is the wider bodywork also used on the C8 Z06, and a lot of higher-end equipment borrowed from the existing C8.
As for pricing, the 2024 Corvette E-Ray will start with an MSRP just over $104,000 for the 1LZ coupe model, and like the other C8s it will also be offered as a convertible as well.
We all know that Corvettes are beloved by track day junkies and the E-Ray promises to put use its electric motor and AWD grip for improved performance in a road course setting.
Of course, the real question for C8 Corvette buyers will be whether to choose the E-Ray or the Z06, as both are priced nearly the same. What would you rather have from your $100,000 plus Corvette, the track-bred flat plane crank Z06 or the AWD, electric-assisted E-Ray?
Whatever the choice, it'd be a fun dilemma to have and we'll be looking forward to the inevitable comparisons once the E-Ray begins deliveries later this year.
More From Driving Line
While we like the added choice the Corvette E-Ray is giving to C8 buyers, we still aren't so sure about the idea of Corvette becoming not just a car but a brand as GM moves into its new electric era.
