This article was originally published by Martin Banks on Clean Fleet Report, a publication that gives its readers the information they need to move to cars and trucks with best fuel economy, including electric cars, fuel cells, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and advanced diesel and gasoline engines.
The most exciting thing to happen to the Corvette brand was the introduction of the C8 Corvette that rolled off the assembly line in 2019 for the 2020 model year. The mid-engine design was the first of its kind in Corvette history, and we couldn’t get enough of it.
Moving into the 2021 model year, Chevrolet might have another surprise in store for us — an electric C8 Corvette. So, what do we know about the electric C8, and when can we get our hands on one?
First, a hybrid
While the idea of an electric C8 Corvette is exciting, Chevy isn’t going to jump into the electric sportscar race with both feet quite yet. Instead, it looks like the next step up this ladder is a Corvette ZR1 Hybrid, which is rumored to hit the streets in time for the 2023 model year.
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We’re expecting to see more than 900 horsepower from this gas-electric hybrid once it finally rolls off the assembly line. Spycams have caught footage of some form of Corvette on the test tracks, but it doesn’t appear to be the ZR1 that we’re so excited for—primarily because the lack of drive axle nuts on the front wheels means it’s not AWD like the ZR1 Hybrid is reported to be.
Rumors of electric Corvettes
With a hybrid Corvette on the horizon, what does that mean for the potential for an electric C8 ‘Vette? Right now, everything we’re seeing is rumors. But in the automotive industry, that doesn’t mean much. The C8 mid-engine Corvette was just a rumor a couple of years ago, and now you can bring one home if the mood strikes.
Right now, industry experts believe that an electric C8 is possible, but we’ll probably have to take baby steps, meaning we’ll probably see a hybrid before they make the transition to a fully electric vehicle.
This isn’t a bad thing. It means Chevy will have plenty of time to perfect its electric supercar technology before they roll it out in something as iconic as the Corvette.
Bringing one home
It will be a while before we can bring home either a hybrid C8 Corvette or a fully electric supercar. Right now, experts are looking at 2023 as the first potential date for one of these new models to roll off the assembly line.
We’ll likely know more in the coming years, as more information emerges. We can speculate, but until we get an official announcement from Chevy, all we have is spycam footage and guesswork.
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Published January 19, 2021 — 12:01 UTC