Chevy Trademarks E-Ray, Hinting at the Possibility of an Electrified Corvette

2016 Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 (Credit: Chevrolet )

The Corvette Stingray has been nothing short of a huge success for Chevy, but now there are rumblings that a new version of the sports car could be on its way. These reports follow the uncovering of a new name that GM has patented.

The name in question is the Corvette E-Ray, which leaves me (and plenty of others) scratching our heads, as the Corvette rarely ever undergoes any drastic changes, and this name alludes to one humongous change. What I am talking about is the high likelihood that this name is earmarked for an electrified Corvette, be it a hybrid or full EV.

While this is all super exciting, chances are that while this is almost certainly an electric or hybrid Corvette, it will most likely be just a concept for now. The C7 Corvette simply doesn’t have the room it needs to accommodate the batteries and motors a hybrid or EV would need, so a concept makes perfect sense. This is a buzzkill of sorts, but keep in mind that a Corvette E-Ray concept could preview the C8 generation, and this new generation could bring all sorts of changes.

Some of the changes that have been rumored are a little wild, but they are not beyond the realm of possibility. One popular rumor, which aligns perfectly with an electric Corvette, is the shifting of the model to become its own sub-brand. This rumor also supports the whispers of GM creating a mid-engine version of its sports car.

If General Motors is actually planning on releasing the E-Ray as a concept, look for it to debut as early as January 2016 at the Detroit Auto Show. We’ll keep our fingers on the pulse of this report and bring you the latest details as they become available. Stay tuned for more details.