Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray review: an American icon faces the future
Fans of the Chevrolet Corvette were shocked when, in 2019, their beloved sports car made the switch to being mid-engined. So spare a thought for how traditionalists feel about the new E-Ray version of the Corvette, which has all-wheel drive and hybrid power.
Along with moving the engine to the middle of the eighth-generation ‘C8’ Corvette, Chevrolet also designed the car to be made in right-hand drive for the first time. The Corvette has been sold in the UK before, but having a steering wheel on the ‘wrong’ side always curtailed its appeal.
Now the Chevrolet Corvette is officially available to buy in Britain, via a network of dealerships across the country. It comes backed by a three-year/62,000-mile warranty, too.
The first electrified Corvette
A three-tier model roster starts with the narrow-bodied Stingray and is topped by the hardcore road-racer Z06. The electrified E-Ray occupies the middle ground. It means the hybrid could be the sweet spot in the Corvette lineup, which offers coupe and convertible body styles across all models.
Let’s start with the Corvette E-Ray’s powertrain, which is a truly modern tech-fest. It combines the Stingray’s 482hp ‘LT2’ 6.2-litre V8 engine with a 162hp electric motor. The latter is mounted on the front axle to create the electric all-wheel-drive (eAWD) setup.
This sees the E-Ray become the first electrified Corvette, along with being the first production model with all-wheel drive. A modest 1.9kWh battery pack lives between the front seats and is charged via regenerative braking alone.
Sixty years in the making
For those purists upset about a mid-engined Corvette with AWD, the E-Ray has arguably been 60 years in the making. In the 1960s, famed Chevrolet engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov made the CERV II Corvette concept, which featured a mid-mounted V8 sending power to all four wheels.
With a combined output of 644hp, the Corvette E-Ray is firmly into supercar territory, and has the performance to match. Taking advantage of the eAWD system’s extra traction, it rockets from 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 180mph.
The E-Ray runs on V8 power alone in normal use, but plunging the long-travel throttle pedal to the floor sees the electric motor instantly spin into life. An instantaneous torque hit removes any natural hesitation found in the Corvette Stingray, and makes the E-Ray feel more exploitable on the road than even the hardcore Z06.
Chevrolet’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is quick and smooth to respond to inputs from the steering wheel-mounted paddles, keeping the torque flowing. With so much power on offer, though, it can be easier to let the E-Ray select gears itself.
Time to WEC up
Before starting the E-Ray, you can select Stealth mode to drive away on battery power at speeds up to 45mph. You won’t get far before the V8 blares into life, but it might avoid upsetting the neighbours in the morning.
Under full acceleration, when the electric motor is playing its part, a spaceship-style whine is channeled into the cabin. Combined with the V8’s rumble, it makes for a highly passable impression of a World Endurance Championship (WEC) hypercar.
Tipping the scales at just over 1,900kg in Coupe form, the Corvette E-Ray is certainly no lightweight race car. Chevrolet has done a good job of disguising this mass, although the width of the E-Ray’s body is harder to ignore. Narrow British villages can be a lesson in patience as you constantly monitor the huge rear wheelarches in the side mirrors.
Engage Sport mode
Hit the open road and the Corvette’s magnetically adjustable dampers start doing their thing, giving the E-Ray a staggeringly compliant ride when Tour mode is selected from the rotary controller. Engage Sport mode, or even Track mode, and the Magnetic Ride system still gamely tries to soak up the worst of British tarmac.
Up your speed and the E-Ray becomes more alert, with a level of agility that belies its size and weight. The steering may not be the final word in feedback, but there is enough information to know what the grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres are doing.
All of this combines to make the electrified Corvette a highly effective cross-country machine, with traction from the eAWD allowing the E-Ray to punch out of corners without drama. The standard carbon-ceramic brakes are unerringly strong, shedding speed with confidence.
Inside the Corvette E-Ray
For a 640hp mid-engined machine, the Corvette E-Ray is supremely user-friendly in all weather conditions, instead of intimidating the driver with its level of performance.
Even getting into the E-Ray is straightforward, with the Corvette’s doors opening conventionally after you have popped a hidden button. The driving position is reassuringly normal, although the near-square steering wheel adds some supercar eccentricity.
A substantial wraparound divider separates driver and passenger, with a row of tiny physical switches placed atop the partition. These can be fiddly to operate on the move, and Chevrolet has already redesigned the Corvette’s cabin for the North American 2026 model-year car.
Everything feels expensive, though, with lots of leather and carbon fibre detailing, plus a configurable digital instrument panel. Standard equipment is also generous, with a Bose sound system, Nappa leather upholstery and a head-up display all included with 3LZ trim.
Plenty of performance per pound
Despite the hybrid drivetrain, forget the notion that an electric motor and battery transform this Corvette into a pious Toyota Prius. As a weighty supercar with a 6.2-litre V8 engine, electrification only has a minor impact on fuel economy. Officially the E-Ray averages 22mpg, but spirited driving saw this drop to around 15mpg.
Where the Corvette E-Ray will save you money is with a £153,400 starting price, which represents something of a bargain for the performance on offer. Options such as the £9,460 carbon fibre wheels will push the price up, though, with our test car weighing in at just under £175,000.
Nonetheless, paying £150,000 plus options for a 644hp mid-engined supercar makes the E-Ray seem good value against European offerings. A V6 hybrid McLaren Artura would cost in excess of £200,000, for example.
It’s best not to dwell on how much the Corvette E-Ray costs in its home American market, however. There, a 3LZ Coupe like our test car would set you back the equivalent of £90,000…
Verdict: Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
Chevrolet upended seven generations of history by making the C8 Corvette mid-engined, and it has gone even further with the E-Ray.
Even if some Corvette diehards might protest, the simple fact is the electrified all-wheel-drive E-Ray is the most rounded Corvette to date. That it now comes with a steering wheel on the correct side for UK enthusiasts is an added bonus.
From its phenomenal acceleration, to the confidence-inspiring levels of traction and compliant ride, Chevrolet has created a 644hp supercar that could easily be driven every day. And all while undercutting traditional competitors on price.
Hybrid power has made the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray into a true technological tour de force. We imagine the late Zora Arkus-Duntov would wholeheartedly approve.
John Redfern writes for Motoring Research
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray 3LZ
PRICE: From £153,440
POWER: 644hp
0-62MPH: 2.9sec
TOP SPEED: 180mph
FUEL ECONOMY: 22.4mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 289g/km