Did Spy Photographers Spot a Plug-in Hybrid C8 Corvette?

We’re pretty sure Chevy will produce a hybrid C8 Corvette in the future. The only question: is it for the base model, Z06, ZR1, or all three?

Autoblog spy photographers recently spotted what could be a camouflaged hybrid C8 Corvette driving around in the snowy Northeast. Accompanied by its production-ready stablemates, it gives us pause. Any time a car is spotted testing in camouflage, it’s noteworthy. That’s especially true when the car in question has already been released to the public.

So the question here is, what’s Chevrolet testing?

According to Autoblog, they saw, “some sort of wiring harness dangling out of an opening in the car’s front trunk along with a big red electric kill switch. While that looks like it could be for charging purposes, an Autoblog commenter suggests it might instead be for easy jumpstarting location.”

There’s been whispers about a planned hybrid C8 Corvette here on Corvette Forum and elsewhere online. From what we can tell, future performance variants will utilize hybrid technology to improve performance.

Jalopnik’sBozi Tatarevicalso made some astute observations about the possible hybrid C8. There’s a surprising about of open real estate up front, which could mean that Chevrolet intended for an all-wheel-drive hybrid setup from the beginning. It’s possible, then, that a high-performance PHEV Corvette could utilize an all-wheel-drive system. The mid-mounted V8 would send power to the rear wheels, while an electric motor would send power to the front wheels. This would help traction tremendously, resulting in acceleration times that were hypercar territory just a decade ago.

As Tatarevic explains, it’s likely that the AWD hybrid variant of the C8 will utilize the same engine as the base car. However, the addition of a 114-horsepower electric motor would put horsepower numbers “in the mid-to-high 500 HP range — if not more.”

Earlier rumors implied the Z06 would feature a twin-turbo street version of the C8.R’s dual overhead cam V8. And the ZR1 would then take that engine and apply an all-wheel-drive hybrid system to push horsepower north of 900 ponies. If you think about it, the current C7 ZR1 has gobs of power, but it’s so hard to drive even GM reps crashed them. With all-wheel drive and the instant torque delivery of electric motors, this new system will put the already-capable C8 platform into hypercar territory.

Hard Charging

To recap, the spy shots Autoblog published could simply be a winter jumpstarting cable or cold-weather testing for the new hybrid system. Regardless, it’s well-known that, while cold batteries hold a charge longer than warm batteries when they’re fresh, they also discharge faster when used in those conditions. Given the fact that it’s January in Michigan, this tester vehicle, whatever it may be, clearly needs a boost in these cold months, for whatever reason.

But, if the spy photographers DID capture a plug-in hybrid C8 winter test, perhaps it means a high-performance variant of the C8 is closer than we think. Additionally, perhaps most exciting of all, maybe this all-wheel-drive hybrid technology will find its way into all trims, from the base all the way up to the ZR1.

Photos: Chevrolet

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