Drivers can start the car in Stealth Mode to silently exit their neighborhood on battery power at up to 45 mph.
Chevy decided not to make the E-Ray a plug-in hybrid, instead designing it to recharge the battery mostly during coasting, braking and normal driving.
“Plug-in hybrids are designed more for energy and range,” said Mike Kutcher, lead development engineer for the Corvette. “The mission of this vehicle was performance, performance, performance. Every kilogram or pound and gram had to earn its way in from a mass standpoint.”
The E-Ray’s battery pack is sourced from LG, though development of the car predates GM’s Ultium Cells joint venture with LG. GM will build the car at its Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky.
