The badass new Corvette isn't part of GM's 'all-electric' future
GM might be positioning itself for an all-electric future, but it's still producing stupidly-fast supercars like the gas-powered 2019 Corvette ZR1.
GM unveiled this beast a few days before the 2017 Dubai auto show. The Corvette ZR1 -- a life-sized Hot Wheels toy for adults -- will hit roads in spring 2018.
The iconic Corvette sports car has been racing across highways since 1953, and although it's been made badder and faster over the years, the 2019 ZR1 is the most powerful Corvette yet. In fact, it's now one of the most high-performance factory-produced cars around: It hits speeds of 210 miles per hour thanks to its 755-horsepower engine.
For reference, Tesla's all-electric high-performance luxury sedan, the Model S, rated for 762 horsepower, can go from 0 to 60 mph in around 2.5 seconds with its "Ludicrous Mode" acceleration setting. (Hitting this ridiculous performance in a Tesla, however, gulps electricity and requires added performance packages.)
The latest Corvette is sleek, ridiculously fast, and futuristic looking, but it may hold a hot secret: Motor Trend reports rumors that the supercar even spits flames (although there's no photo evidence just yet).
It's unclear how the long the Corvette, with its internal combustion engine, will continue to run on gasoline. In October, GM's CEO announced that "General Motors believes in an electric future" and will produce 20 types of all-electric vehicles by 2023. The all-electric Chevy Bolt — an affordable, mass-market vehicle that starts at around $30,000 — outpaced the Tesla Model S as the most-sold electric vehicle of October 2017.
The Corvette (especially specialized models like the ZR1) was never meant to be a mass-market vehicle, like the Bolt and Tesla's production-hampered Model 3. Motor Trends reports GM will produce between 2,000-3,000 of these insane toys which, at prices that could exceed $130,000, are high-end, souped-up re-imaginings to the classic American muscle car. Perhaps these supercars will co-exist alongside the hordes of efficient, battery-powered cars of our electric future, idling at red lights by themselves like an endangered species — but ever ready to leave us all in the dust.
Topics Tesla Cars Innovations
Mark was the science editor at Mashable. After working as a ranger with the National Park Service, he started a reporting career after seeing the extraordinary value in educating people about the happenings on Earth, and beyond.
He's descended 2,500 feet into the ocean depths in search of the sixgill shark, ventured into the halls of top R&D laboratories, and interviewed some of the most fascinating scientists in the world.
