Image source: MidEngineCorvetteForum (by bdsvavars)
According to a new report, the mid-engine 2020 Corvette has been delayed six months over a serious issue with the vehicle’s electricals. It was reported that the C8 Corvette will not debut at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show as planned, despite earlier reports affirming as much. Chevrolet confirmed that its car and the crossover team had no debut planned for Detroit. It is rumored that Chevrolet engineers discovered a major electrical issue with the Corvette during the development process. From information gathered, it is believed that the vehicle’s electrical system isn’t capable of carrying the load required to support the necessary components.
We’ve seen the 2020 Corvette in camouflage with what seemed to be almost-ready production version testing in various states and even on Germany’s Nürburgring race track. It seems those tests unearthed issues and the whole electrical system will have to be redone from scratch, delaying the project for six months.
Re-engineering the C8 Corvette’s electrical will take some time. But perhaps what might be more time consuming is re-coordinating the changes with the car maker’s vast network of parts suppliers. At this late stage in the car’s development, it can be a real hassle telling a part supplier that they need to scrap whatever plans they had and start over with newer parts that meet the revised C8’s electrical needs.
According to other sources, GM still plans on releasing the C8 as a 2020 model, and fans should still see the best of Corvettes arrive at the summer or fall debut, however, GM could still delay the model to 2021. According to initial leaks online, the new Corvette packs a 520 hp engine on the base model thanks to the modified LT1 V8 engine. This mid-engine Corvette will come with a 5.5 L twin-turbo V8 that will give it a spot with the big boys from Germany and Italy.
It’s a little bit puzzling how GM’s engineers didn’t catch this problem in the initial design plan. We hope to hear from General Motors about it soon. Anonymous sources elaborated on the issue further claiming that the GM began developing the C8 with an electric system and wiring harness found across GM’s current lineup, only to find out later that it needed to swap it out for a newer, more advanced electrical system deep into the vehicle’s development process.
The new electrical system could have something to do with the patent GM filled for active aerodynamic systems over the last couple of years. One of the patents was an active aero system specifically designed for a mid-engine vehicle; the other one was for a hybrid vehicle. Chevrolet has so far declined to comment on any claims presented, stating as it always does that the company does not comment on its potential future products.
Details of new developments of the C8 are still hazy at the movement. It seems like the Ford’s 2020 Mustang Shelby will enjoy unrivaled attention at the upcoming Detroit’s Auto Show. Whether the mid-size engine corvette will debut in 2019, 2020, or 2021, its fans and early adopters are eagerly waiting to be pleased.
Source: TheDrive