Corvette 'E-Ray' Trademark Has a Powertrain Patent Too

by Aaron Cole

Updated: December 2nd, 2020 Published: December 21st, 2015

corvette e ray trademark has a powertrain patent too

The fine, fine folks over at Car & Driver spotted a trademark filing made by General Motors for “Corvette E-Ray,” which probably means they’re going to ruin the Corvette soon.

The trademark filing was made on Dec. 16, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, about three weeks after General Motors applied for a patent for a “Hybrid Powertrain and Modular Rear Drive Unit.”

Wait, what … so you’re saying hybrid, mid-engine brown manual Corvette could be real? Kill my mind.

The patent filing from Nov. 26, 2015 details a hybrid powertrain that would relate to a similar “Hybrid Powertrain and Modular Rear Drive Unit For Same” that GM has had for a while.

(The new patent application doesn’t directly specify “mid-engined Corvette,” but we all know that’s what they’re talking about.)

Like Car & Driver pointed out, any addition of “E” power to the current C7 ‘Ray would be unlikely — there’s little to gain other than endless entertainment watching Internet forums melt.

But there is value in possibly hybridizing future Corvette models, which is now the likely future for Nissan’s GT-R, Porsche’s cars, and the like. However, short of the 911, most of those cars aren’t so intimately married to a specific powertrain: i.e. small block, pushrod V8s.

H/T to Bozi for strong patent game.

#Chevrolet #Corvette #E-ray #GeneralMotors #Hybrid

Aaron Cole

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5 of 17 comments

Ronnie Schreiber on Dec 21, 2015

I don't think the patent application is for a Corvette drivetrain. The Corvette has a rear transaxle, driven by a driveshaft inside a torque tube. The patent application describes a powertrain with a transmission driven directly by the crankshaft. The differential has a motor-generator hooked to it, but no transmission. Also, the patent application concerns an all-wheel-drive setup and I don't think the Corvette will ever be anything but RWD. Finally, part of the patent seems to be the rear subframe used to attach the differential to the body. The drawings look to me to be similar to the rear subframe on the GM Alpha platform. My guess is that it's for a Cadillac. http://www.patentsencyclopedia.com/app/20150336573

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- Mcs on Dec 21, 2015
  
  Corvette E-Ray was registered as a trademark. Serial number 86850510. To stay at the leading edge of performance, the Corvette has to go all-wheel drive and hybrid. Like it or not, that's where performance cars are headed. A new Tesla Roadster is on the horizon and the Corvette won't be able to touch it with ICE and RWD technology. It's already getting spanked on acceleration by an overweight family sedan (Model S), so it's time to move on.
  
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- Derekson on Dec 21, 2015
  
  This is more likely related to the mid-engined Corvette prototypes spotted over the past year than to a conventional front-engined RWD 'Vette.
  
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Lou_BC on Dec 21, 2015

A hybrid Corvette. The batteries take over once engine blows.

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- SCE to AUX on Dec 21, 2015
  
  You win the internet today.
  
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