The Drive Reviews the 2026 Corvette E-Ray

Going back about 25 years, to the debut of the Toyota Prius and the already existing Honda. Once upon a time, the idea of a Corvette hybrid might have seemed like a laughable, absurdist idea. Two decades ago, the “hybrid” word was largely synonymous with vehicles like the Toyota Prius or the original Honda Insight, which often outright performance – a traditional Corvette trademark – in favor of pursuing fuel economy or ecological gains. 

Today, however, a hybrid Corvette is a reality – but fret not, as performance hasn’t been puton the backburner. On the contrary, as the folks at The Drive recently discovered, the 2026 Corvette E-Ray may be one of the most well-rounded Corvettes available – and perhaps even the perfect Corvette to park in your garage. Twin Falls Chevrolet, with the help of a The Drive review, explains why. 

The Drive starts its review with a mea cuplea that now may seem like the worst time to review the Corvette E-Ray, seeing as this particular model is being phased out after the 2026 model year. Its replacement, the upcoming 2027 Corvette Grand Sport X, will remain a hybrid all-wheel drive Corvette, but packing a new, more powerful V-8 engine underhood. 

But the E-Ray’s 655 horsepower and 595 lb-ft of torque aren’t anything to sneeze at. And, after all, there are still E-Rays available at Chevy dealers, and they’re still worth your consideration if you’re contemplating adding a Stingray to your personal fleet. 

The E-Ray’s hybrid system is what gives the car the sure-footed traction of all-wheel drive, especially in wet or frigid weather. While its 6.2-liter V-8 is tasked with sending power to the rear wheels, the electric motor in the nose of the car powers only the front wheels. And yes, while it can briefly propel the E-Ray on electricity only – perfect for stealthily sneaking out of the neighborhood for an early-morning back-road romp – it’s mostly there to complement the traditional gas-burning V-8 in back, providing added traction for quick launches and preventing the E-Ray from being an oversteering fiend on slick surfaces. Any notion that this system is there to save gasoline can easily be dispelled by looking at the E-Ray’s EPA-estimated 16/ 24/ 19 mpg city/ higway/ combined ratings, which aren’t tremendously better than that of a standard Corvette Stingray.  

So, the motor is meant to work in concert with the engine. Fortunately, electric motors are overachievers when it comes to torque. Not only can a relatively small motor produce a surprising amount of torque, but it delivers most of its peak output from the get-go – there’s no need to wait for it to spin up to an ungainly speed in order to access that power. That’s not only why the top racing classes are increasingly leveraging hybrid systems in motorsport, but also how the E-Ray sprints from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, placing it just behind the ZR1 and the (also hybrid) ZR1X in the Corvette family. 

You might argue that the Corvette E-Rayis best suited as being a “grand touring” Corvette, made more for long-distance cruising than outright speed and handling, but The Drive dispels that notion. The chassis is still very much tuned as a sports car rather than a comfy GT meant to easily eat up miles. The quick turn-in that is the hallmark of mid-engine cars is still present, and the fact that it was riding on all-season rather than summer tires did not seem to dull the response. Admittedly, these weren’t just any all-season tires but Michelin Pilots, which probably helps.   

Aesthetically, the E-Ray has a few more dividers in the Corvette’s gaping front grille, and the side intake trim is body color. It also lacks the big wings of the two quicker models in the Corvette family.  

In the end, the E-Ray’s hybrid aspect is simply another tool in the Corvette’s quiver that produces improved performance. In that context, a hybrid Corvette makes perfect sense. If you love performance cars but would like to pay a Stingray’s worth of money short of the ZR1, the E-Ray could be for you. Contact Twin Falls Chevrolet about getting one while you can.