GM Asks C8 Corvette Owners How They Feel About EVs

Is GM gauging the market to see if it’s ready for a battery-powered Corvette EV?

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Spy Shots Nose View

Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

Nov 28, 2021 at 9:39am ET

Add InsideEVs as a preferred source in Google

Comment

We know General Motors has some electrification plans for the Chevrolet Corvette, but we just don’t know what they are. There have been rumors and reports citing unnamed insider sources and now there’s this recent survey sent out by Chevrolet to C8 Corvette owners in order to gauge their views regarding what the manufacturer described as an ‘electric sport vehicle.’

Chevy didn’t overtly say that it was referring to the next-gen Corvette that may go fully-electric, but according to this post from MidEngineCorvetteForum, it may, in fact, be the C9 that they are talking about. Owners described receiving an email from Chevrolet polling them about several topics like over-the-air updates, whether or not they were looking to buy a new car in the next two years or the aforementioned electric sports car.

Reactions among those who responded were the opposite of unanimous. Some seemed happy and willing to consider an electric Vette, while others shared more reserved positions not only about an EV sports car, but electric cars in general. The data gathered by GM via this survey probably contains a similar mix of answers.

Gallery: Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Spy Shots

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Spy Shots Nose

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Spy Shots Front

What do we actually know about the electric Corvette? Well, not a whole lot right now. The scene was abuzz when Chevrolet ’ name back in 2015, prompting reactions pretty similar to the ones above; the trademark was renewed last year but this still doesn’t mean it will surely be used.

Some have also stated that this E-Ray could, in fact, be some kind of all-wheel drive hybrid (if so, most likely a PHEV), with a mid-mounted internal-combustion engine (still a V8, possibly twin-turbocharged, from the upcoming ZR1 model) driving the rear wheels and the front wheels powered by a pair of electric motors.

What do you think?

View

Comments

This could be the 1,000-horsepower Corvette Zora (named after the ‘father of the Corvette,’ Zora Arkus-Duntov) that is also said to be in the works. However, it could also be the less extreme electrified Corvette Grand Sport model, whose output is rumored to be around 600-horsepower mark (it reportedly pairs the standard C8’s 6.2-liter V8 with the same pair of electric motors up front).

But perhaps GM was gauging Corvette buyers’ opinions not for any of the electrified models mentioned above, but for an actual EV planned for even further in the future. How much further in the future? Well, given the fact that the rumors about the hybrid Vettes place their launch sometime in 2023, it’s going to have to be after that.

More GM EV news

Chevrolet Bolt EV, Bolt EUV Plant Down For Rest Of The Year

Source: MidEngineCorvetteForum

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The InsideEVs team

Share this Story

GO TO COMMENTS

(

)

Got a tip for us? Email: tips@insideevs.com

View all comments ( )

Trending

Kia EV3 Lease Deals Are Here, And It’s Cheaper Than The Chevy Bolt And Nissan Leaf

I Let Android Auto Plan My EV Roadtrip. Here’s How It Worked

This Chevy Bolt Has 470,000 Miles. Here’s How Much A New Battery Was

Here's What It's Like To Take Delivery Of A Rivian R2