5 Ways The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Revolutionizes Sports Cars Forever (Plus 5 Major Concerns)
The 2024 Corvette E-Ray is finally here, but the hybrid sports car came with some drawbacks amidst its amazingness.
The Chevrolet Corvette has always been a hallmark of American sports cars. For the new C8 generation that was introduced for the 2020 model year, the Corvette ventured into supercar territory by switching to a mid-engine layout with added power. The new engineering plus an attractive starting price means that the Corvette was here to disrupt the market.
Now, Chevrolet is doing this again by introducing the E-Ray: a hybrid Corvette that pairs a small battery pack and electric motor with the same naturally aspirated V8 that you find in the C8 Stingray. The result is a Corvette like you have never seen before. Before the E-Ray was even shown to the public a Hotcars exclusive render by Rostislav Prokop gave us a glimpse of what this impressive Chevrolet would look like.
This is a supercar that can roar around the corners of a track or move silently through a neighborhood. It’s a Corvette that most haven’t seen, yet everyone will want. These are some of the ways that it paves a path for hybrid supercars and also some reservations we have about it still.
10 Revolutionizes: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Is Electrifyingly Powerful
Chevrolet claims that the E-Ray is the quickest Corvette ever built. This is somewhat surprising given that this version of the Corvette sits in between the base Stingray and the top-spec Z06. With the added electric power, the E-Ray is able to sprint from 0-60 in only 2.5 seconds. For comparison, the 2023 Corvette Z06 accomplishes this in 2.6 seconds. Though this is a small margin, it goes to show how added electric power can outperform even the wildest V8s.
9 Concerns: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray May Not Justify Its Price
The starting price of the Corvette E-Ray is $102,000 and goes up beyond $120,000. This is a tough price point to be at, given that the E-Ray sits in the middle of the Corvette lineup. This is because the more powerful Z06 starts at only $3,000 more than the E-Ray while the Stingray is almost $40,000 less. When you think about it, it may be hard to justify spending the extra money when the Stingray has the same V8 engine meaning that all the added money is going towards a 160-horsepower electric motor.
8 Revolutionizes: All-Wheel Drive Comes Standard On The 2024 Corvette E-Ray
A first for Corvettes, all E-Rays will come standard with e-AWD. This is made possible because of the electric motor that powers the front wheels. Something interesting about this is that this also means that this is the first Corvette to operate in front-wheel drive if you are driving in the electric mode. Having power sent to all four wheels means that you’ll have more control when driving fast as well as having more traction when driving in inclement weather.
7 Concerns: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Is Not A Plug-In Hybrid
Many of the super and hyper cars coming out that have electric power are debuting as plug-in hybrids. But this is not the case for the E-Ray. This Corvette comes as what someone would consider a normal hybrid where you do not get any power from an external source. This is a shame that Chevrolet could not manage to make the E-Ray a plug-in because it would have meant a better electric-only range.
6 Revolutionizes: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Is Stealthier Than Most
New for the Corvette E-Ray is a “stealth” mode which allows for you to drive in a purely electric mode. This will come in handy when you do not want to make a scene with the car’s loud V8. The front electric motor has 160 horsepower and allows for you to drive up to speeds of 45 miles per hour with only electricity as your source of power.
5 Concerns: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Is Not A Typical Daily Driver
Chevrolet is trying to make more of a point that this version of the E-Ray is more of a viable option for daily driving because of its hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. The E-Ray may be a suitable daily driver for some, but it also lacks the elegance that other grand tourers in this price range offer. Vehicles like the Lexus LC still give you V8 power with a more svelte design than you see in the Corvette E-Ray.
4 Revolutionizes: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Is A Sleeper
Though no Corvette will completely blend into the crowd, the E-Ray won’t necessarily garner the amount of attention that supercars with this much power normally do. Though the E-Ray only has 15 fewer horsepower than the Z06, the latter looks more ostentatious with its large rear wing and carbon fiber wheels. On the other hand, the E-Ray is a great fit for those that don’t necessarily care to turn heads while on the road.
3 Concerns: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Is Relatively Heavy
All the added electrical components and no substitution of anything else means that the E-Ray is the heaviest Corvette to date. Though the E-Ray has power to spare, it is not quite confidence-inspiring knowing that it is carrying around the extra weight. No amount of power can offset the change in driving dynamics that added weight can bring.
2 Revolutionizes: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Gives In-Depth Performance Data
Chevrolet has given E-Ray owners the ability to have access to more data about their car than they would probably prefer. The E-Ray app located in the infotainment screen, tells you of things such as how much power is sent to the front and rear wheels and when you are putting electricity back into the battery. Also, you can track more performance data by using the Performance Data Recorder which can aid in improving how you drive the E-Ray.
1 Concerns: The 2024 Corvette E-Ray Has A Very Small Amount Of Electric Range
As a result of sporting a miniscule battery, the E-Ray only has a few miles of pure electric range. This may be an issue for those who want to have a fast supercar while still being more environmentally friendly. The short range of the E-Ray does not quite check this box meaning that you will still be relying on the large V8 in this car quite often.
