Chevrolet commits to a V8 Corvette long term

A General Motors engineering boss said its Chevrolet Corvette will continue to be powered by a V8 engine into the next decade. GM will not rush out an electric variant just to meet emissions regulations, he added.

In an Autocar UK interview at Goodwood, General Motors chief performance car engineer, Tony Roma, said there are no plans yet for a Corvette EV. “We talk about what it would take to make a capable enough car but right now it’s still science fiction.”

That’s despite the recent release of a Corvette EV concept.

Meantime, Corvette will continue to be powered by a V8, either alone or with a hybrid element (E-Ray). Don’t expect a PHEV Corvette any time soon, according to Roma. He added: “I don’t think plug-in is worth it – the mass, the cost, the complexity. 

“So, with E-Ray, we kind of went the other way. When you drive an E-Ray, you just fire it up and drive it. It’s just a hybrid. It charges the battery for you. It does everything. If you want to override and make it charge the battery faster, there’s a button for that. But other than that, that’s pretty much it, and keep it simple, keep it usable.”

Only if regulators demand some electric-only range would GM consider a PHEV.

Roma said that when an electric Corvette eventuates it will need to be “engaging” rather than just electrifyingly quick. Buyers will demand more and will “want something different”.

“We’ll get there when it’s time.”

From 2035, all new cars sold in the EU and the UK must emit zero emissions when driven, effectively mandating electric cars only. So to stay on sale, an electric Corvette would need to dot down by then.

But a key reason for not rushing out such a vehicle is that it is a global car, Roma said. So it needs to appeal to all markets.

To get there, Roma reckons the power-to-weight ratio, the cost, and the range are vital. And currently he believes all three are not possible.

“Our cars will be all-electric when an all-electric car is better than what we have right now. 

“What we need to figure out to get to that point is how do you get that visceral connection, that personality that you want to engage with, in an electric car. 

“Frankly, most of them don’t have that emotional connection. When I want to go on a Saturday morning…drive, I want to fire up and listen to all those noises.”