General Motors will release an “electrified” version of the Chevy Corvette next year, followed by a fully electric version of the iconic sports car soon after that, the automaker’s president Mark Reuss said on CNBC Monday.
Reuss wouldn’t confirm when the all-electric ‘Vette would make its debut, but did note that “this is coming very quick.” 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 been known for many, many years with our internal combustion engine, so it’s an addition to [that],” Reuss said.
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 torque-y version of the Corvette may upset some long-time fans, but GM seems confident it can still win over new customers.
When Reuss says that an electrified version of the ‘Vette will be out next year. It’s likely he means a hybrid, perhaps even a plug-in hybrid with a rechargeable battery. A GM spokesperson confirmed that the new Corvette 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 that it would be releasing electric versions of the Chevy Equinox and Blazer SUVs. Teaser images were released during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show, with GM noting that the Equinox will retail for a suggested price of $30,000 in an effort to drive broader adoption of electric vehicles in the US. The company also unveiled plans to release an electric Chevy Silverado pickup truck.
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 is producing the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, the Hummer EV pickup and SUV, the GMC Sierra EV, and the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq.
Other Chevy vehicles are getting sidelined, though. GM said recently it would no longer provide battery replacements for the all-electric version of the Chevy Spark, which was first released in 2013. The company is working toward making and replacing battery packs in over 140,000 electric Chevy Bolts after a series of fires forced the automaker to halt production.
Update April 25th 9:59AM ET: Updated to include GM spokesperson statement.