How Does the Electric Corvette Go So Fast?
Not everyone loves the idea of an electric Corvette. But the Genovation GXE fully electric Corvette has set two land speed records. It’s insanely fast, reaching top speeds of over 200 miles per hour. But how does an electric car go so fast? What kind of system can create this kind of power––and be worth $750,000?
The C-7 Corvette Grand Sport is the base of the second-generation Genovation GXE. The Corvette has been converted to all-electric propulsion and it goes really fast. Chris Walton with MotorTrend got the chance to take the second-gen prototype of this electric Corvette out for a spin.
MotorTrend prototype test drive
“In a nutshell, Genovation starts with your new or lightly used Corvette Grand Sport (with either a seven-speed manual or eight-speed automatic), removes front/rear fascia, hood, side-view mirrors, the engine, transverse-leaf-spring suspension, wheels, gas tank, and interior. What comes next is nothing short of a complete rebuild to convert it into an electric supercar.”
Chris Walton | MotorTrend
Walton goes through every detail of the drive and explains the difference and exhilaration in the feel and handling of this sporty electric supercar. The Genovation GXE electrified Corvette offers a few different modes and MotorTrend’s Walton took it out for a spin using sport mode. I think it’s safe to say that the GXE did its job. And it continues to impress the people who matter.
How is the Genovation GXE electric Corvette made?
Make no mistake. Though there is little Corvette left after Genovation has made its mark, it’s just enough. This super fast electric Corvette is also super rare. Frank Markus with MotorTrend sat down with the “folks responsible for turning politely powerful Corvette Grand Sports into positively pugilistic 800-hp, 700-lb-ft electric record-breakers.” They went through the entire build and he explains the electrification transformation in a piece he wrote briefly afterward.
According to Markus, the Genovation team started with a C-6 Corvette chassis. They were told to build something fast and awesome, but forbidden from using a gas engine. Challenged accepted. This is what Genovation does best. This original tech trickles down throughout the GXE Corvette’s proceeding prototypes to go into the C-7 build that happened a little later.
The end result was a GXE electric Corvette with a with two AMRacing motors resting in the front end. These work as a team with Reinhart Motion Systems power inverters. Both of these parts were sourced in Oregon.
From the Bay Area came the 61-kilowatt battery pack manufactured by Lithos Energy. These end up in a U-shaped formation around the motors. Additionally, the powertrain control systems from Stafl Systems were also provided by Bay Area manufacturing.
“The cylindrical-style batteries utilize nickel-cobalt-aluminum/nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry optimized for power delivery rather than energy density. Genovation’s latest computer simulations predict an EPA range of 175 miles (so long as those miles don’t probe the car’s 209-mph EV speed record or claimed sub-3-second 0-60 performance).”
Frank Markus | MotorTrend
How fast does the electric Corvette go?
The Genovation GXE is no slouch. It doesn’t get the longest range and fast charging isn’t much of an option for the way this little electrified track beast is configured. But it doesn’t have to. It was designed for the sake of engineering a really fast car to set some crazy electric land speed records. Oh yeah, and also to look really, really cool in the garage of whoever purchases the GXE for its oh so modest price of $750,000.
How fast does it go? Well, according to Inside EVs the 800 plus horsepower twin-motor powertrain with over 700 pound-feet of torque has a top speed spec of 220. But the last land speed record that this electric Corvette set was for a still-impressive 210.2 miles per hour.
