The Corvette E-Ray And The Toyota Prius Have More In Common Than You’d Think – SlashGear

Announced on January 17, 2023, the world’s first production hybrid Corvette features a hybrid-electric, all-wheel-drive system that sends power to all four wheels. In that aspect, the Corvette E-Ray is just like the 2023 Toyota Prius, but that’s about where the similarities end. While both vehicles use the internal combustion engine and electric motors separately, the Corvette uses its 6.2-liter LT2 small block V-8 engine to power the rear wheels, and the Prius uses a blend of gas and electric motors to power the front and electric motors exclusively in the rear.

In the Corvette E-Ray, the electric motor powering the front axles delivers 160 horsepower and 125 foot-pounds of instant torque. Combined, the vehicle’s maximum output is 655 horsepower, and delivering that through all four wheels means not only improved efficiency — thanks to regenerative braking and coasting — but also greater traction in adverse conditions and increased stability. Chevrolet claims the E-Ray can hit 60 mph from a standstill in a mere 2.5 seconds, and finish a quarter mile in 10.5 seconds at 130 mph.

The Corvette E-Ray is a mild hybrid, meaning there’s no charging, although it does feature Stealth Mode which uses only the electric motors to drive the vehicle at speeds of up to 45 mph. The vehicle automatically re-engages the gas motor when the 1.9 kWh battery pack is depleted, or when the driver exceeds the 45 mph speed limit. While it may not be as particularly efficient as the Toyota Prius’ fuel economy, the E-Ray’s performance is vastly superior. The E-Ray will be available starting at $104,295 in 2023.