GM CEO Hints at Hybrid Corvette with “Don’t Laugh” Comment

hybrid-badge-2The 2014 Corvette Stingray boasts a state-of-the-art 6.2 liter V8 engine capable of 460 horsepower and 29 miles to the gallon on the highway. So to those who say the days of big V8 engines are numbered, we say, well, things we can’t really say here on these PG-13 rated pages. That (un)said, there is a compelling argument to be made for the performance potential of hybrid drivetrains, as many European automakers are finding out.

So when GM’s President of North America Mark Reuss told the L.A. Times that the idea of a Corvette hybrid is “attractive,” it gets us wondering what sort of performance a gas-electric ‘Vette might deliver.

Could the C7 Corvette really go hybrid? "Don't laugh," says Mark Reuss.

Could the C7 Corvette really go hybrid? “Don’t laugh,” says Mark Reuss.

“Actually, don’t laugh,” Reuss said when asked about a hybrid Corvette. “I think it’s an attractive idea, actually. I think it would be really fun to do, I think it would build capability inside of our company, and I think people would love it.”

Now we’re sure some of you are rolling your eyes, and others could never be convinced that a hybrid Corvette is anything less than blasphemy. Feel free to see yourselves out to another, more comforting post about the Corvette.

To the rest of you, we’d like you to consider the fact that Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, and countless other high-end supercar manufacturers are turning to hybrid technology to deliver incredible performance. The Porsche 918 Spyder uses a Formula 1-style energy-recapturing hybrid system to add an additional 237 horsepower, as well as a push-to-pass boost button that delivers a jolt of extra power when you most need it.

Now imagine taking that sort of million-dollar supercar technology, and applying it to a $100,000 Corvette. It’s quite doable, though just how receptive the Corvette faithful would be to such a system remains to be seen. GM might do well to offer a hybrid performance ‘Vette alongside a supercharged model, and see which sells better. We think there’s room in the Corvette lineup for a hybrid; how about you?

 

About the author

Chris Demorro

Christopher DeMorro is a freelance writer and journalist from Connecticut with two passions in life; writing and anything with an engine.
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