When Chevrolet and GM announced the Corvette E-Ray, fans were split. For starters, the E-Ray was a departure from the time-honored Corvette formula. With power going to all four wheels with hybrid-electric architecture, the E-Ray was witchcraft. However, what makes the E-Ray such a unique chapter in the book of Corvette also makes it a winter weapon among tail-happy C8s. And having spent some seat time in the E-Ray, I’m convinced it could be your ticket to year-round fun.

The AWD system in the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray establishes it as perhaps the most winter-ready ‘Vette in the model’s history 

Even as the eighth generation of Kentucky’s workaday supercar marches on, the V8 remains king. In the entry-level Stingray, the naturally aspirated, pushrod LT2 6.2L V8 produces near as makes no difference 500 horsepower. Further up the V8-powered food chain, the orchestral Z06 produces 670 horsepower, and the wildly unhinged ZR1 sends the Corvette into a four-figure power output. 

The same goes for the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. Well, sort of. The E-Ray marries the Stingray’s pushrod, N/A 6.2L V8 with an AC electric motor at the front wheels. As a result, the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is the first hybrid, all-wheel drive (AWD) Corvette ever. And that presents a unique claim to fame beyond the “firsts.”

Quite simply, the E-Ray is the closest thing to a year-round, winter-ready Corvette ever. With staggered Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 tires as standard equipment, the hybridized Corvette is a sure-footed wintertime companion. 

In fact, as part of the E-Ray’s unveiling, Chevrolet engineers sought to prove its ice-and-snow chops. To accomplish the task, they dropped a couple of E-Rays on The Rink At Rockefeller Center in New York City. The Corvettes spun in tight, controlled pirouettes as if figure skaters. 

Also, under normal driving conditions, the E-Ray’s battery charges as it drives, eliminating the need to plug it in. As such, real-world electric range isn’t a concern for the hybrid Corvette. That can be advantageous in the cold weather. According to AAA, freezing temperatures can sap the driving range of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) by as much as 41%. Of course, that’s not an issue for Chevrolet’s latest Corvette evolution. Wintertime blues, your days are numbered.