Ah, the Corvette. It’s the image of cool. It’s appeared in films such as Gone in 60 Seconds, The Big Lebowski, and Con Air. It’s practically synonymous with classic American film and TV moments. If you knew someone with a Corvette when you were a kid, that person was probably your hero. Everyone in the neighborhood stopped and stared as the car hummed down the street. It just has that sort of effect on people. For a while, there was an unspoken understanding that cool and electric were two types of cars that would never merge. However, those who know, know––electric is the way of the future, and it’s only natural that Chevy will be rolling out hybrid and all-electric Corvettes. Be sure to visit your nearest Chevy dealer to test it out when it arrives.
For some, this new trend toward electric vehicles can cause panic. It can be difficult to see the Corvette as anything other than a loud, impressive car that leaves a cloud full of smoke in its trail. There’s something naturally “Devil may care” about a Corvette driver, and the Devil probably isn’t concerned with saving the planet. So, for many, coming to terms with an electric Corvette may take a moment. You take all the time you need…but not too much because you can’t change the electric vehicle momentum that’s happening. In the meantime, here’s what we know about Chevy’s electrified Corvettes.
#1 – It Will Start as a Hybrid
The Corvette won’t be a fully electric vehicle right away. GM will ease drivers into this change. GM says that it will first roll out a hybrid option in 2023 as a precursor to the all-electric version, but the EV won’t be far behind. GM says it’ll be out “soon,” so the wait shouldn’t be long. That’s important information for those wanting to go fully electric. If you jump on the hybrid option now, you could find yourself swapping it out for the electric Corvette in a year or two. That wouldn’t be the worst position to be in, though, as many dealers could be eager to buy your hybrid Corvette as hybrids, in general, are becoming increasingly popular.
#2 – Plug-In or Not?
It hasn’t yet been announced whether or not the hybrid Corvette will be a traditional self-charging or a plug-in model. This detail could be an important factor for drivers who live in an area with limited charging stations or for those who don’t like the idea of waiting for their car to power up. We’ll all have to anxiously await this announcement for now. Do know that individuals and companies are seeing great tax incentives for installing charging stations, so if it is a plug-in, you’ll likely see more charging stations in your area in the coming years.
#3 – We Saw It Coming
Those of us who’ve been paying close attention had a feeling that a hybrid or electric vehicle might be on the horizon for the Corvette. The 2020 offering switched to a mid-engine engine layout that really set the stage for easily integrating electric motors. It wasn’t clear at the time if that was part of a grand plan or just a coincidence, but now we can see that GM wanted to gradually make changes to the car to get it ready for the electric variety.
#4 – Don’t Worry: the Classic Remains
GM says that it will still be making traditional Corvettes with gasoline-only V8 engines…for now. So those who just love that classic, powerful roar of a fuel-consuming Corvette can still get one in the coming years. Though, word to the wise: get used to the idea of all-electric GM cars. Don’t resist the transition.
#5 – It’s Part of GM’s Electric Plan
GM plans to only sell electric vehicles by 2035, so you can consider the electric Corvette a look into the future. GM also stated that it will roll out at least 30 new electric options by 2025, which is just around the corner! GM is investing $35 billion in this project, so it is not bluffing. That’s why we said the traditional V8 Corvette is still here for now. But if you want to be a lifelong Corvette driver, you might want to get used to the idea of going electric. And trying the hybrid option could be a good introductory experience.
#6 – A Proprietary Battery
The electric Corvette will, allegedly, run on GM’s proprietary Ultium battery platform. This is part of GM’s universal electric vehicle platform that, presumably, all of its EV models will sit atop in the future. According to GM themselves, these batteries are quite versatile because the “Large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. This allows engineers to optimize battery energy storage and layout for each vehicle design.” So, in theory, GM can look forward to placing most (or even all) of its beloved car bodies on top of this platform.
#7 – It Will be Quieter
That unmistakable, make-you-grab-earplugs, explosive sound the Corvette is so known for, well, it relies on gasoline. So, love it or hate it, it’s probably not going to be as loud once the car goes electric. If you hate that sound and feel that it terrorizes the neighborhood, this is good news. If that sound made your heart race and your adrenaline soar, this could be unfortunate news. But, you can take solace in knowing you’re doing right by the environment by going electric.
#8 – It’s (Probably) Powerful
The new hybrid Corvette is rumored to deliver 600 horsepower and boasts a hybrid version of the same 6.2-liter V8 with an electric motor powering the front wheels. And if cars like the Tesla Model S Plaid and Hummer EV are anything to go by, the electric Corvette may be even more powerful. So those worried that it won’t compete with the force of the traditional Corvette can put those concerns aside. GM knows exactly who the Corvette customer base is and wouldn’t disappoint you with a weak vehicle.
#9 – It Should Look the Same
Chevrolet released a video showing a prototype of the hybrid Corvette on its Twitter page. As you can see from it, the electrified car looks very much like the classic Corvette we all know and love. While we haven’t seen any confirmed prototypes of the fully electric Corvette yet, the odds are that it will share the same basic shape (although it remains to be seen if it will still have the large side air scoops).
#10 – It’s Likely All-Wheel Drive
Here’s one other thing fans are gossiping about after seeing the Twitter video: the possibility of all-wheel drive. Based on the way the front wheels start to spin before the back ones in the video, it seems pretty clear that the hybrid Corvette will have all-wheel drive. The electric Corvette may stick with rear-wheel drive or also use all-wheel drive for improved performance.
#11- It Will Probably Be Hyper-Efficient
It’s been said that the electric Corvette will enjoy a special energy recovery system that most GM electric vehicles will eventually have. The unique system harvests heat from the battery pack, using that to heat up the inside cabin and allowing for more efficient charging. It’s reported that it will even boost acceleration, as well as the vehicle’s range.
#12 – It’s In Good Company
To many, these new hybrid and electric Corvettes shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. They’re in good company with the other EVs and hybrids that Chevy already put out, including the Chevy Bolt EV, the Hummer EV, and the Cadillac Lyriq. Chevy has been doing its part for a while now in proving that going electric doesn’t have to mean giving up style or power, and it certainly doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to long-beloved car models. Electric is the way of the future, but Chevy is still honoring the past by including the classic Corvette in its EV lineup.
