2024 CHEVROLET CORVETTE E-RAY 0-60 MPH AND ¼-MILE TESTED: NOT YOUR AVERAGE HYBRID
An electrified all-wheel-drive system makes the Corvette more consistent on the drag strip, but not necessarily quicker.
Want a Chevrolet Corvette that rockets from 0 to 60 mph in a frantic 2.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 10.6 seconds? You now have two options. The first, of course, is the mighty Corvette Z06 with its glorious 670-hp flat-plane V-8. That car's performance has now been matched by the all-wheel-drive, hybrid 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.
InMotorTrendtesting, the gas-electric E-Ray matched the acceleration times of the quickest track-focused Z06 we've tested but came up just short of Chevy's advertised 2.5-second run to 60 mph. Unless a future test corrects the record, that means the Corvette E-Ray shares the title of quickest Corvette ever with the Z06.
| 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray | |
| ENGINE/MOTOR TYPE | 6.2L direct-injected OHV 16-valve 90-degree V-8 plus permanent-magnet electric motor |
| POWER (SAE NET) | 495 hp @ 6,450 rpm (gas), 160 hp (elec); 655 hp (comb) |
| TORQUE (SAE NET) | 470 lb-ft @ 5,150 rpm, 122 lb-ft (elec); 592 lb-ft (comb) |
| TRANSMISSION | 8-speed twin-clutch automatic |
| CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) | 3,912 lb (42/58%) |
| TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH | |
| 0-30 | 1.0 sec |
| 0-40 | 1.5 |
| 0-50 | 2.0 |
| 0-60 | 2.6 |
| 0-70 | 3.3 |
| 0-80 | 4.1 |
| 0-90 | 5.0 |
| 0-100 | 6.1 |
| 0-100-0 | 11.4 |
| QUARTER MILE | 10.6 sec @ 128.0 mph |
What's It Like to Launch an E-Ray?
Getting acquainted with the E-Ray feels both familiar and funky. It rocks the same mid-mounted LT2 6.2-liter V-8 we've come to adore in the standard Corvette Stingray, which powers the rear wheels with 495 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The interesting part comes in the form of an electric motor that provides an additional 160 hp and 122 lb-ft through the front wheels. Total system output reaches 655 hp and 595 lb-ft and the LT2 still sounds as great as ever, but its familial roar now shares the stage with an electrified buzz.
Since the all-wheel drive E-Ray is meant to be enjoyed in summer and winter, Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4+ ZP run-flat tires are the default. That said, our test car arrived with the optional Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP summer tires (and pricey carbon fiber wheels), along with its suspension set in track alignment for better cornering grip.
For better or for worse, priming the E-Ray for straight-line testing is pretty much the same as other Corvettes. The lengthy launch control procedure is almost identical with one key difference. For optimal acceleration times, Chevy recommends topping of the E-Ray's 1.9-kWh lithium-ion battery. Given its small size, this can be done relatively quickly by driving the car with the Charge+ mode active (just remember to turn this off prior to launching).
One of the challenges of launching the Corvette is managing wheelspin. The addition of all-wheel drive certainly helps, but it's no magic bullet. The launch control has an auto mode, but you can improve your times by manually programming the launch RPMs. There was a tad too much wheelspin launching at 4,000 rpm, while anything below 3,500 rpm caused the engine to bog. Everything seemed to work as intended by launching at 3,750 rpm. Here you can feel a slight tug from the front end quickly followed by the rear tires gripping the asphalt with minimal wheelspin. From there, the E-Ray sprints to 30 mph in 1.0 seconds, before reaching 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, and crossing the quarter mile in 10.6 seconds with a trap speed of 128.0 mph. Shifts from the dual-clutch 8-speed auto are quick. And compared to the rear-drive Stingray and Z06, the E-Ray launches with more ease and consistency.
How Does the Corvette E-Ray Stack Up?
The E-Ray's performance puts it ahead of the quickest Corvette Stingray we've tested (2.8 seconds to 60 mph and 11.1 seconds @ 123.2 mph for the quarter mile) and tied with a Corvette Z06 convertible (with the Z06 trapping at a slightly faster 131.6 mph). With these results, the E-Ray can outrun the 711-hp Ferrari F8 Tributo to 60 mph by 0.3 seconds, before falling behind by just a tenth of a second at the quarter mile mark. The Porsche 911 Turbo S Lightweight aced our testing by running to 60 mph and through the quarter mile in 2.3 and 10.3 seconds, respectively, though it'll cost you twice as much as an E-Ray to acquire. And with that in mind, this just further solidifies the Corvette's unmatched combination of performance and value.