It turns out that one way to make a Corvette even faster is to pull out the engine and add batteries.
Genovation Cars is a company that, among other things, converts Corvettes to electric power, creating a high-performance sports car it calls the Genovation eXtreme Electric (GXE, for short).
And now the company claims to have broken the top-speed record for production-based electric cars with one of these vehicles.
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During a test conducted at NASA’s former Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, a GXE reached a top speed of 186.8 mph after 1 mile.
As shown in a video clip released by Genovation, the electric Corvette did the deed with a lot less noise than one of its gasoline-powered counterparts.
Certified by the International Mile Racing Association, the run beat the previous record of 177 mph.
Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt
It also beats the 174 mph achieved last year by another electric-car conversion called “Zombie 222,” which is based on a 1968 Ford Mustang.
While it may be based on an existing vehicle like the Mustang, the GXE’s bones are a bit more youthful.
The car used in the record run was based on a 2006 Corvette Z06.
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But instead of the stock 7.0-liter V-8 engine, the GXE has an electric powertrain that develops “in excess of” 700 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, according to the company.
Not a bad upgrade from the 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of the stock version.
Genovation claims the GXE could achieve 200 mph with a long enough straightaway, and that it has a 130-mile range when driven more sedately.
Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt
If that sounds appealing to you, Genovation will make a copy for $330,000—or $290,000 if a Corvette donor car is supplied.
While building insanely fast electric Corvettes is an admirable pursuit, it isn’t Genovation’s only business.
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The company is also developing a bespoke car called the G2, that it hopes to offer in both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid configurations.
It claims to have created quarter-scale models, conducted virtual crash-test simulations, and completed other early development work.
Genovation plans to partner with other companies to complete development of the G2, including India’s Tata Technologies.
[hat tip: Patrick Sandham]
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