"One of the Most Complicated Machines" -Tadge

Chassis Materials & Construction Methods

The chassis is a great example of the advanced design and engineering that went into making the C8 Corvette. It utilizes a new aluminum space frame, which consists of six elaborately ribbed die castings, known as the "Bedford Six" because they're manufactured at GM's Bedford, Indiana facility. This space frame also includes conventional castings, stampings and extrusions — produced from a variety of aluminum, magnesium, steel and carbon fiber materials — and also includes different types of glass-reinforced composites joined together with various fasteners and bonded with structural adhesive. This construction method ensures a lightweight yet robust structure that can withstand the demands of high-performance driving.

Flow-drill screws are used in many places to secure the modular C8 Corvette frame components. Thanks to the very robust space frame, the C8's torsional stiffness is 7% greater than the C7 with its roof panel in place and 12% stiffer with the top down. 

Convertible Top Operation

The Corvette ERay is available in both coupe and convertible body styles. The convertible model features a fully automatic hard top that can be operated at speeds up to 30 mph. With the touch of a button, you can enjoy open-air driving without having to leave your comfortable bucket seat. Convertible top operation involves unlocking the roof from the windshield frame, folding it back, and stowing it away in a dedicated compartment behind the rear seats, under a tonneau, right on top of the engine cover. It takes about 16 seconds and the precise coordination of six electric motors to accomplish this.

Cooling of Engine, Electric Motor, Battery & Power Electronics

In addition to cooling for the V-8 engine and 8-speed transmission, the ERay's hybrid system requires dedicated cooling systems for the electric motor, battery, and power control unit. These cooling systems are crucial for maintaining optimal performance and preventing overheating during high-speed driving, and they ensure that all components of the hybrid system operate within their ideal temperature range, thereby maximizing efficiency and longevity. The vertical portion of the radiator on the driver's side, seen below, is what cools the electric drive motor.

These components are cooled primarily with an antifreeze and water mixture, but the lithium-ion battery in the center tunnel can be cooled by a chiller, using a little AC refrigerant, which is sent to the batteries under certain conditions, like on a racetrack when the energy in/out of the battery is at maximum levels. By my count, the C8 Stingray has 17 fans (including 4 in each seat), but the ERay may have more. I gave up trying to count the number of radiators, but these Corvettes are known to run exceptionally well even in very hot and demanding circumstances. The Corvette engineers wanted to make sure that overheating isn't a concern, and they've accomplished that.

Dual Clutch Transmission, Parking Pawl

All C8 Corvettes come with an 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which can function as an automatic transmission, requiring no driver input to change gears. Of course, a Manual Mode can also be selected; plus, you can put the car into Manual Mode temporarily by pulling one of the shift paddles. A DCT uses two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets, and that makes for extremely fast shifts — less than 1/10th of a second.

A parking pawl is a device fitted to a motor vehicle's automatic transmission that locks up the transmission when the shift lever is in the Park position. In a C8 Corvette, the parking pawl is controlled hydraulically, but unlike the C8 Stingray and Z06, the ERay has a new electric motor integrated into its DCT system. This motor is responsible for activating the hydraulic pump and disengaging the parking pawl so that it can be driven without starting the engine. That's needed when driving in Stealth and Shuttle Modes (two new drive modes unique to the ERay), and it would also come in very handy if an ERay ever needed to be towed because it would allow the ERay to be put into Neutral when the other two C8 Corvette models could have transmissions locked in Park if their engines couldn't be started.

Front Lift

The ERay comes with an optional Front Lift feature. This system uses hydraulics to raise the front end of the car, helping to prevent damage from speed bumps and steep driveways. This is particularly useful in sports cars like the Corvette, which have low ground clearance, and it can save you from costly repairs. Just push a button on the center console, and the front end of the car raises almost 2 inches in less than 3 seconds (under 24 mph). Front Lift has a memory feature, as well, that will save locations you'll go to again. It can remember up to 1000 GPS coordinates and will raise the front end of your Corvette on its own when you drive back to those places.

Integration of V-8 Engine and Electric Motor

The ERay's powertrain is the combination of a 6.2-Liter LT2 Small Block V-8 engine and a front-mounted electric motor. The V-8 engine delivers 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque to the rear axle. The ERay's electric motor is compact, yet powerful. It delivers 160 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque, providing an instant boost to the vehicle's performance (max torque starts at 0 RPM). The electric motor primarily serves to increase performance rather than minimize fuel use, like in most traditional hybrids, and that results in a combined output of 655 horsepower and 595 lb-ft of torque, making the ERay the quickest production Corvette ever produced.

The gas engine that drives the rear wheels and the electric motor that drives the front wheels have no physical connection between them whatsoever. Software, entirely, controls how these two power plants work together, and it's a masterpiece of engineering. In fact, it was one of the most complicated parts of making an ERay, and it's amazing that the two motors could be integrated to complement each other so well. Every possible driving/surface condition and circumstance that could be encountered on any road and on a racetrack had to be accounted for and programmed into the computer code that controls it, and it all works together beautifully, making for a seamless and very pleasurable driving experience.

Lithium-Ion Battery

The ERay features a high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack located in the center tunnel, consisting of eight 10-cell modules all wired in series, so the voltage of each cell gets added together, while the current stays the same. This 1.9 kWh battery pack powers the front wheels and enables energy regeneration during braking. The battery pack is designed to discharge very quickly during spirited driving but will never go below a minimum buffer level, ensuring availability of power to the front wheels. The Charge+ mode applies aggressive regen to recharge the battery and slightly limits power output at the same time (can still do continuous lapping on a track), so that's yet again another set of programming parameters that enhance driving performance of the ERay.

The chemistry of the battery that drives the front wheels was formulated specially for this "Performance Hybrid" Corvette and is not the same as what's in the Ultium batteries that GM uses in some of their other cars. The ERay battery is unique and specifically there to provide a sudden burst of power to the electric motor and to recharge quickly, as well. In ERays, unlike Stingrays and Z06s, the 12-volt battery that starts the V-8 engine is also lithium-ion (not the usual lead-acid).

Magnetic Selective Ride Control

The ERay comes standard with Magnetic Selective Ride Control (MSRC), a chassis and suspension technology developed by General Motors and licensed to other car manufacturers, including Ferrari, and also used by Lamborghini, Audi, etc. This advanced suspension system uses magnetorheological fluid-filled shock absorbers to adjust the damping force in real-time. In fact, it reads road conditions by use of accelerometers approximately every 10 milliseconds (1/100th of a second), which allows the car to adapt to changing road conditions by applying a magnetic field to the small iron particles suspended in the hydraulic fluid of each shock absorber, and that adjusts their relative stiffness, providing a smooth ride and exceptional handling.

This is clearly felt when changing between the six driver-selectable modes: Weather, Tour, Sport, Track, My Mode, and Z-Mode. These modes allow drivers to tailor the vehicle's performance characteristics to suit different driving conditions and personal preferences. But it's more than just providing a smooth ride. MSRC keeps the tires on the pavement for improved traction in all road conditions, including bumpy roads or driving at high speed on a racetrack.

Oil Life Monitoring System

C8 Corvettes are equipped with an Oil Life Monitoring System (OLMS) that keeps track of the condition of the engine oil based on driving habits and environmental conditions. For instance, if there have been a lot of short trips where the engine oil was not fully heated, water will accumulate in the oil, and that will shorten the oil life. The OLMS counts down from 100% Oil Life to 0% as you continue to drive the vehicle, and when appropriate, the system will start triggering reminders to change the engine oil.

The OLMS is a computer-based system that tracks all the operating conditions known to reduce oil life, plugs those values into a very complicated algorithm, and returns an oil-life percentage that's displayed in the vehicle's Driver Information Center and on the myChevrolet smartphone app. GM's OLMS is known to be state-of-the art.

Performance Traction Management

The Performance Traction Management (PTM) system is a multi-mode traction control system with five different settings — Wet, Dry, Sport, Race 1 and Race 2 — providing greater flexibility for those drivers who want more personal control and less computer control when it comes to tire slippage on the track.

According to the 2024 Owner's Manual, "Competitive Driving mode, Performance Traction Management, and Launch Control are systems designed to allow increased performance while accelerating and/or cornering. This is accomplished by regulating and optimizing the engine, brakes, and suspension performance. These modes are for use at a closed course race track and are not intended for use on public roads. They will not compensate for driver inexperience or lack of familiarity with a race track.

Drivers who prefer to allow the system to have more control of the engine, brakes, and suspension are advised to turn on the normal traction control and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems on. If equipped with E-Ray, there is a Performance app on the infotainment screen that shows the vehicle electric and engine power/torque."

Yes, that right. With the ERay we get some cool new power/torque gauges and drive mode animations on the Infotainment screen!

Pultruded Rear Bumper Beam

On a mid-engine car, the most important weight that can be reduced is on the very back, and this part does that because it's even lighter than the aluminum rear bumper beam it replaced. A pultruded carbon-fiber curved rear bumper beam, like is used on C8 Corvettes, had never been done before by any car manufacturer, so I wrote a dedicated page about that here: C8 Corvettes Have a TCPCFCCRBB

Seats

There are three different seat options available for C8 Corvettes that can be chosen to fit different body shapes and for different use cases. Some people just want to be comfortable and some need to be locked in tight for track work. But there's more to these seats that meets the eye. Besides being 8-way power adjustable, they're also heated and ventilated so, as seen below, there's a lot of hardware inside the seats to make all of that happen.

Surface Estimation to Detect Microslip

The ERay's intelligent eAWD system is equipped with advanced "surface estimation" technology that continuously reads the road surface. This technology enables the system to detect "microslip" — minute losses of traction that can affect handling and stability. By detecting and responding to microslip in real-time, the system enhances vehicle stability and improves handling performance under all driving conditions.

The ERay monitors tire traction on all four corners and determines how much grip is available on any given surface, and it knows in advance what the road conditions are, so it can be proactive — not reactive — in applying power or battery regen (drag) in any given situation. I know that sounds almost like science fiction, but it's not! That information came directly from Corvette Chief Engineer Josh Holder when he was being interviewed by Steve Garrett on a CORVETTE TODAY podcast.

Tires

The ERay comes standard with Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 ZP ("zero pressure" run-flat) tires. The front tires are 275/30ZR20 (97Y) XL mounted on 20" x 10" (50.8 cm x 25.4 cm) wheels, and the massive rear tires are 345/25ZR21 (104Y) XL, the widest all-season tire on the market, which are mounted on 21" x 13" (53.3 cm x 33 cm) wheels. Utilizing four different tread compounds, these tires are good for nearly 1.0 g lateral acceleration and able to provide traction on wet and even snowy roads.

The aramid-hybrid carcass in these highly optimized asymmetric run-flat tires is tuned to maximize the contact patch for Corvettes and offers significantly better structural performance, as well as better road-hazard resistance. The ERay has the unique distinction of being the first production car to come standard with carbon-ceramic rotors and all-season tires. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer-only tires are also available as part of the ZER Performance Package.

Torque Vectoring by Brake

The ERay uses brake-based torque vectoring on the front axle. This means that it can apply the brakes to the front wheels independently to control the distribution of torque to each, improving handling and stability. The software's different drive modes allow for varying degrees of yaw on the rear axle, but as the rear end starts to lose stability in a high-speed corner, the ERay shifts the percentage of torque the driver requests to the front axle.

This brake-based torque vectoring system is very helpful when accelerating out of a corner because it allows the front wheels to start pulling the car through the corner as early as possible without losing control. By applying power to the outside wheel and braking the inside wheel, the torque vectoring helps the outside wheel pull the car around, keeping it pointed in the right direction. During spirited driving and in low traction environments, the eAWD system allows for precise control over the distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels, which greatly improves handling and responsiveness.

Valved Exhaust System

ERay Corvettes come standard with the Performance Exhaust system, which also enhances its sound. In a valved exhaust system, the adjustable valves are opened or closed to control exhaust flow. When open, exhaust gases exit unrestricted for maximum performance and sound, adding to the thrill of driving this high-performance hybrid supercar. When closed, gases pass through mufflers for quieter operation. All of this is adjusted automatically by the car based upon the drive mode selected, temperature of the engine, etc.

"Wall of Buttons"

As if all of this "complication" weren't enough, C8 Corvettes also have a front curb-view camera, head-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging for smartphones, and a heated steering wheel. There's also a rear-view camera mirror that shows a video of what's behind the car, a HomeLink garage door opener built into the driver's sun visor, a Performance Data Recorder which records everything that happens in front of the car (with optional overlays of speed data, track configurations, etc.), and for 2024 there are also a bunch of new safety features (more on that here: New 2024 Corvette Safety Features... and More), which of course, require a lot of sensors and software to make them work.

Is the ERay complicated? Most certainly, and I'll take Tadge's word for it about just how complicated it is compared to other consumer products, but complication doesn't worry me because I know the Corvette engineers know what they're doing. If something were to go wrong with my ERay, I doubt it would be due to faulty engineering. I just feel blessed to live in a time and place where I get to experience owning and driving a Corvette ERay. We are truly blessed to be car enthusiasts right now.

In conclusion, the 2024 Corvette ERay represents a significant leap forward in automotive technology. Its innovative features combine to deliver an exhilarating driving experience that blends raw power with refined efficiency. At least that's what I've seen on YouTube videos by reviewers who've already gotten the opportunity to drive an ERay.

BUT... a very simple car, it is not!

4-17-2024 Big News: Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter is Retiring