The all-wheel drive 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray is here, and though we’ve written an introductory story with basic information including max power output and pricing and drivetrain layout, we haven’t seen any sexy hardware yet. That changes now, as Chevy’s consumer website includes some downright beautiful imagery of engineering goodness. Behold!
First things first: I’d like to show you all the new E-Ray’s power curve, as it includes that of the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated LT2 V8 and that of the electric motor, overlapped. You’ll see peak power for the gas engine is 495 ponies, and that of the electric motor is 160, though the shapes of the curves are quite different.
It’s worth noting that the x-axis, speed, is probably not what you think it is. The only thing linking the electric motor’s RPM to the gas engine’s RPM is vehicle speed, so X-axis is likely related to that. I assume it’s just peak power as a function of vehicle speed, with the jogs in the plot being gear changes? I’ve asked GM for clarification. Maybe one of you in the comments knows for sure.
The above video has me going through the features.
Anyway, let’s have a look at some gorgeous imagery.
The 6.2-Liter V8
Chevy’s got a rendering and a “technical drawing showing the LT2 in all of its glory. Check them out:
The photos come with a description mentioning 210mm diameter equal-length intake runners, and a dry sump oil scavenging system for track use:
With 495 horsepower and 470 lb. ft. of torque, this 6.2L small block powerhouse is designed to thrill on every drive, on both road and track, and contributes to an overall 655 horsepower.¹ It features eight equal-length intake runners of 210 mm to maximize torque and airflow. A dry sump oil scavenge system uses three pumps to ensure oil quality and flow to critical areas during high g-force cornering and acceleration.
Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission
Check out the above beautiful graphics showing the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Chevy describes the images, writing:
The standard 8-speed dual-clutch transmission combines the smoothness of an automatic with the control of a manual, giving you high efficiency, lightning-quick shifts and shorter lap times. A variable Drive Style Index senses your driver inputs and responds with gear holds and downshifts exactly when you expect them
And to give you an idea of the gear ratios, Chevy shows roughly what percentage of the vehicle’s top speed each gear will get you to before hitting the engine’s max RPM:
The Battery Pack
Check out the 1.9 kWh battery packaged along the Corvette’s spine. A few years ago, I helped tear down a C8 Corvette, and in so doing I was able to have a look at that packaging location/void right there along the vehicle’s longitudinal axis; check it out:
From Chevy:
A 1.9 kWh lithium-ion battery electrifies Corvette for the first time, powering the electric drive unit that powers the front wheels. The battery is self-charging, picking up energy as you go, letting you focus on the drive. The E-Ray battery system includes an integrated power electronics system designed for maximum responsiveness, efficiency and performance, all in support of a 0.5-second improvement in 0-60 time.²
Chevy’s website shows the battery’s power as a function of relative vehicle speed — both output to the motor and input from the motor during deceleration/regenerative braking.
Electric Motor (Drive Unit)
At the front axle sits the electric motor and gear reduction. Chevy’s description notes that the motor’s max torque is 125 lb-ft.
With a rated output of 160 horsepower, the electrified motor powering the front axle along with the LT2 V8 engine provide an incredible 655 combined horsepower.¹ And, while the LT2 V8 engine provides 470 lb.-ft. of torque to the rear wheels, the electric motor adds an additional 125 lb.-ft. of torque to the front wheels. The result is truly impressive acceleration, whether off the line, exiting corners or during passing maneuvers. In addition, the system offers limited EV-only drive modes to allow you to move your car or exit your neighborhood in stealthy fashion.
The All-Wheel Drive System
The mid-mounted V8 powers the rear wheels, while the electric motor independently powers the fronts through the aforementioned gear reduction. Chevy describes the all-wheel drive system, writing:
Elevating the mid-engine platform with e-AWD assist takes the E-Ray to a whole new level. Not only does this bring a huge leap in 4-season capability, the intelligent controls dynamically adjust in real time to provide front axle assist for ultimate stability and balance – providing nimble control.
The site even shows the graphic above, which turns blue when accelerating (the motor is adding power) and green when decelerating (the motor is generating power and sending it to the battery pack).
Some Other Screenshots
Here are a few more shots from the site:
This story is being updated, as this is breaking news.
That front axle looks ready for a swap.
Alright engineers of The Autopian, a question for you!
Why is the rear passenger side halfshaft a different diameter than the rear driver’s side?
To help eliminate wheel hop
By making one axel thicker/ stiffer, you’re able to control torsional flex of the axels and thus control wheel hop. The two axels work together to balance power delivery.
Not sure I like the E-Ray name. I think they should call it the Electrophorus. Bonus points if they hook Torch’s electric eel range extender trailer to the back.
https://jalopnik.com/lets-find-out-if-using-electric-eels-to-charge-your-tes-1836978424
Needs a manual transmission.
This is pretty awesome. A .5 second improvement in 0-60 times puts this pretty close to Tesla plaid territory, and is enough to embarrass an NSX and compete with the world’s fastest hypercars.
The torque vectoring this system will provide should prove extremely effective on track as well.
Unless my math is wrong, that ridiculously tiny battery can only operate the motor at full power for about 50 seconds (assuming you completely drain it). Calling this thing a “hybrid” is foolish. It is only good for very-occasional acceleration improvements.
Far too much added complexity to justify the benefit, in my opinion.
Honest question, in what situation would you need to run the front motor for that kind of time continuously?
Even on a road course (which this is not really intended for), your long straightaways are going to be broken up by braking zones that will recharge the battery.
This car isn’t for me either (I don’t care for AWD in my sports cars) but I get why it exists.
In common use, a hybrid can operate battery-only for a certain range, and then the ICE comes on for longer range or more power. I would classify this as an “acceleration assist” design (which is fine, just not useful for any battery-only travel).
This can drive on battery only in a parking lot or at low speeds like many other hybrids; in fact its battery is larger than a Prius’s.
And if we’re being picky about what can be called a hybrid, I would say the prius is still the de-facto “hybrid” that people think about
Yup, the Prius hybrid’s battery is only 1.3 kWh.
This has an ICE which powers the rear wheels, and an electric motor powering the fronts.
If it’s not a hybrid, then what is it?
Oh, by the strictest of definitions it is a hybrid. But I wish we had more words to differentiate between range extenders, acceleration boosters, true series hybrids, and parallel hybrids. There are so many different ways to use ICE/Electric combinations to improve a vehicle that it’s hard to get across what a thing actually is in just a few words. Each design has strengths and weaknesses.
I have to agree. Just calling them all hybrid doesn’t really tell you much about the powertrain details, and unscrupulous manufacturers really love to stretch the definition just so they can slap a “hybrid” badge onto something.
The worst offender was definitely GM in the late aughts, when they came out with the BAS system used on full sized trucks and suvs.
The alternator had the capability of applying torque to the crank using it’s drive belt and had the ability to start the engine, so GM proudly declared that they had a hybrid truck.
In Canada, the oil loving Harper government actually provided subsidies for these full sized trucks masquerading as hybrids.
They aren’t stretching any definition of the word hybrid. If the power source is a combination of two or more things it’s a hybrid powertrain.
The problem is that people want to think that “hybrid” means a significantly greener or more economical vehicle, because that’s how it has been marketed.
I’ve been on the engineering team for a few mild hybrids, and you can make CO2 savings that are significant for a fleet of vehicles with technology that produces a barely noticeable effect on a single vehicle. Especially as almost no one bothers to drive in a way to minimise CO2.
Interesting data point on the small battery hybrids: they’re more useful than you’d think. I’ve got an F-150 PowerBoost and live in a hilly area. It’s got a 1.5kWh battery. I’m averaging 21 MPG easy, and something like 30% of my last drive was electric. It’s also great at smoothing out the power while the turbos spool and adding to topline power when you need it. Since the AWD “grip” thing is usually a transitory situation — plus, you aren’t going to go full throttle hands down everywhere — I’d say it’s going to be a pretty effective system.
How long do those small batteries last, if they charge and discharge so frequently?
I’m afraid that any gas pump saving would be offset by battery replacement cost.
That works out to about a 63C charge/discharge rate. Which isn’t unheard-of, but it puts it in the same realm as the <300 cycle hobby batteries. I assume it'll last longer than that and the actual capacity's probably higher than the nominal, but that's still a pretty aggressive rate.
The spine battery pack just tells me that they recycled the idea from the Volt. Because Volts had that same spine battery pack, but it was much taller.
GM EV1 did it first.
It’s a good packaging idea in general. The tunnel in the C8 isn’t being used for a driveshaft or exhaust piping and because it’s centrally located, it’ll help maintain good handling
Very cool. Keep the e-Ray goodness coming!
I can’t wait for Mark and Jack to break this down for me when their video drops
Graphs with no labels on the axis are meaningless
They’ve got great labels: POWER and SPEED, both measured in convenient marks. Or RPM and MPH, similarly measured in marks. I assume it’s mulepower and leagues per fortnight for the first, and each mark is one on either axis on the second, making this an incredibly low-revving, fast shifting, slow speed engine.
Yep I can’t believe DT is being serious when he likes this kinda pseudo-techie marketing waffle. Graphs with no labels, golf-club-carpark-level descriptions (“senses your driver inputs and responds with gear holds and downshifts exactly when you expect them”) and the “beautiful engineering images” are hardly insightful; most are a pair of views of the same thing just with different skins, one a colourful render, the other a faux-x-ray but with no actual cutaway of what lies beneath. Look at the LT2 “in all its glory” – the first is a render, fine, the second *should* be showing 8 pistons at the very least…