C8 Corvette to Offer Electric All-Wheel-Drive in 2023 or 2024

Corvette eAWD system will likely use an electric motor system to drive the front wheels, with a battery pack in the frunk.

There have been rumors that the C8 Chevrolet Corvette would offer a gas-electric hybrid drivetrain since before the new mid-engine machine was introduced. Heck, even the current C8 Owner’s Manual shows a fuse for a Lithium-Ion battery module. Today, the folks at GM-Trucks.com shared information from leaked General Motors documents that the new Corvette will feature an electric all-wheel-drive system called “eAWD”. Based on their information, this option could arrive as early as 2023. When it arrives, the C8 will likely become an even more impressive performance machine.

The Leaked Document

Some of you might be questioning leaked Corvette information from a site that focuses on General Motors trucks. While this information doesn’t fit with most of their coverage, the folks who run GM-Trucks.com are experts on all things GM. They previously leaked the C8 Corvette start-up screen. This makes it clear that they know what they are talking about. They are a reliable source of information beyond just pickup trucks.

It was pretty cool when GM-Trucks.com was the first to show us the C8 Corvette startup animation, but this time, they are sharing information that could change the entire face of the American performance car world. We don’t know where they got the documents. If they are accurate, the Corvette will have a unique hybrid all-wheel-drive system within four years, if not sooner.

This leaked information fits with our report back on August 27 that Corvette engineers had been shifted over to the company’s electric vehicle programs. Perhaps the Corvette engineers are working with the in-house electrification experts to develop the C8 eAWD system.

Corvette eAWD

According to this report, the 2023 Corvette is slated to come with eAWD, which will be introduced under the RPO code XFD. After the first year, the RPO code will change to XRD, but those codes really don’t matter to enthusiasts. What does matter is that the eAWD system is currently slated to arrive for the 2023 model year. At the same time, this report points out that it could be pushed back to 2024. When it arrives, the Stingray will become an even greater performance car when it comes to executing a hard launch. This system will likely also improve performance measures in road handling.

The GM-Trucks report doesn’t have any mechanical details. They speculate that the Corvette eAWD system will have one or two electric motors mounted at the front wheels. The battery pack will likely be located in the base of the frunk. Based on other performance cars that rely on an electric-based all-wheel-drive system, it seems most likely that the C8 will have an electric motor driving each of the front wheels. However, the company could reduce weight by going with a single motor setup. Provided that we are accurate with the setup of the system, there would be no electric power at the rear wheels and no gasoline power at the front wheels. When the gasoline and electric propulsion systems are working in unison, this is almost guaranteed to be the quickest Corvette ever.

The combination of gas and electric power technically makes this a hybrid package for the Corvette. We still don’t expect it to be marketed as a “green” option. Even if the eAWD system improves overall fuel economy and allows all-electric driving, Chevrolet will likely market this as a performance feature, yielding better traction on a hard launch or when accelerating out of a corner.

The only bad news here is that eAWD is expected to arrive for 2023 or 2024. This means that it is likely to be a few years before we get any official word from General Motors. Hopefully, this leaked information will lead the company to offer-up a concept that previews the technology. If nothing else, we know that the rumors of an all-wheel-drive “hybrid” C8 Corvette are valid.

Photos: General Motors

.

‎