2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

Big changes arrived for the Corvette in 2020 as the C8 debuted wtih an all-new rear mid-engined chassis. As radical as that long-rumored change was, it was still packing a traditional naturally aspirated V8 engine. Now, at long last, the Corvette E-Ray has arrived as the quickest production Corvette ever. Let’s see what else a little electric assistance brings to America’s supercar.

According to biologists, there are more than 200 known species of Stingray, and to add to that, we’ve now discovered another one, this 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. Available in both Coupe and Convertible versions, it’s very obvious the E-Ray is a decedent of the widebody Corvette Z06.

Now while it lacks the Z06’s massive rear wing, it has its own set of aero enhancements, which can be further boosted with carbon fiber.

Same 20 and 21-inch wheels, but the E-Ray comes standard with all-season tires, though performance tires are available, as applied to our Riptide Blue Metallic Convertible.

The interior remains very familiar too, with the C8’s squarish steering wheel and “great wall of controls” separating driver and passenger, while lots of E-Ray logos and 5-grand worth of optional carbon fiber in here set the tone.

Now, as for the powertrain specifics, despite the E in E-Ray, this is not a true EV, there’s not even a place to plug it in, and there is still a big lump of good ol’ American pushrod V8 behind the rear seats.
6.2-liter’s worth, in the same tuning as the standard Stingray Z51 at 495-horsepower and 470 lb-ft. of torque.

The E part comes into play between the front wheels that are now driven by a 120-kW electric motor delivering 160-horsepower. That gives this gas-electric hybrid a combined output of 655-horsepower, while also making E-Ray the first all-wheel-drive Corvette ever.

But this 4-wheeler is not built for the trail, and while dual-motor setups are far from a novelty at this point, GM claims the E-Ray’s is both unique and much simpler.

The gasoline engine takes care of just the rear wheels through the same 8-speed DCT as the regular Stingray, while the e-motor handles just the front wheels; both getting their orders from a new software package and your right foot.

The battery and all necessary hardware are integrated into a single assembly stored in the central tunnel, so there’s zero intrusion on interior or trunk space.

We put in an order for some biggie size acceleration at our Mason Dixon test track, and the E-Ray delivered us a mega happy meal of torque. Even on a very humid, 100 degree day, we rocketed to 60 miles-per-hour in just 2.8-seconds. A blink of eye slower than the 2.5 seconds Chevy quotes for ideal conditions.

With one of the best launch controls we’ve ever experienced, the E-Ray delivers the kind of acceleration that sits just between fun and alarming. With a full on power assault through the whole ¼-mile, we finished in 11.0-seconds flat at 127 miles-per-hour.

We could clearly feel that front motor keeping steady power going for that brief microsecond that it takes the Stingray’s DCT to find the next gear. And there are some different sounds for sure. Is that a shriek or squeal? Who knows! Is it real or fake? Who cares! It just sounds unique and cool.

There’s just a tiny 1.9-kWh battery, which you can usually charge back to full on the return trip to the starting line. That means a very limited EV-only range that GM calls Stealth Mode, where you can drive a short distance at modest speeds, perfect for quietly pulling away from your neighborhood. The battery also never gets fully depleted, so there is always all-wheel-drive traction when you need it.

Hard to say what the e-motor really adds to handling, as the E-Ray absolutely cut up our cone course with surgical precision. We also didn’t notice any torque steer at launch, but punching the throttle coming out of a corner, or when making a lane change on the highway, you get a real sense of the amount of power being sent to those front wheels, and it’s significant.

At 16-City and 19-Combined, most Government Fuel Economy Ratings are the same as the standard Stingray, but the E-Ray is rated for one fewer MPG on the Highway at 24. We averaged a good 22.0 miles-per-gallon of Premium.

Pricing starts at $106,595; about 36-grand over a standard Stingray, but around 8-grand less than a Z06.

Now purists may bristle at the drastic metamorphosis the Corvette has gone through recently, and now Chevrolet is even adding electric assist. Heresy! But there’s much more to love in this hybrid; you get the same widebody look as the Z06, yet it’s rated quicker, and still costs less! Plus, it allows for silent getaways, and with all-wheel drive is an even better long-distance road car. Suddenly, the highly-refined 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray makes a vast amount of common sense.