General Motors will release an “electrified” version of the Chevy Corvette next year, followed by an all-electric version of the iconic sports car shortly after, said Mark Reuss, president of the automaker. on CNBC Mondayâ€
Reuss would not confirm when the all-electric ‘Vette would make its debut, but he did note that “this is coming very soon”. The automaker plans to continue selling gas-powered versions in the meantime.
“This is in addition to all the great performance that Chevrolet and Corvette have known for many, many years with our internal combustion engine, so it complements [that]’ said Reuss.
An electric Corvette would likely cause as much excitement and controversy as Ford’s decision to release an electric Mustang. The Corvette nameplate has long been associated with impressive power and a loud exhaust. A completely silent, instantly powerful version of the Corvette may upset some longtime fans, but GM seems confident it can still win new customers.
If Reuss says there will be an electrified version of the ‘Vette’ coming out next year. He probably means a hybrid, maybe even a plug-in hybrid with a rechargeable battery. A GM spokesperson confirmed that the new Corvette to be released next year “will not be a full EV.”
The Corvette would be the latest vehicle in the Chevy lineup to be electrified. Last year, GM announced it would be releasing electric versions of its Chevy Equinox and Blazer SUVs. Teaser images were released during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show, with GM noting that the Equinox will be sold for a suggested retail price of $30,000 in an effort to spur wider adoption of electric vehicles in the US. The company also revealed plans to release a Chevy Silverado electric pickup.
The arrival of the Silverado, Equinox, Blazer and Corvette EVs would put Chevy at the forefront of GM’s $35 billion push to electrify its entire lineup by 2040. In addition, the company produces the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, the Hummer EV pickup and SUV, the GMC Sierra EV, and the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq.
However, other Chevy vehicles are sidelined. GM recently said it would no longer supply battery replacements for the all-electric version of the Chevy Spark, which was first released in 2013. The company is working to make and replace battery packs in more than 140,000 electric Chevy Bolts after a series of fires. forced the automaker to halt production.
Update April 25 9:59 AM ET: Updated to include the statement from the GM spokesperson.