Chevy Corvette E-Ray Drag Races Tesla Model 3, Who Knew It Would End Like This?

Unveiled earlier this year, the C8-based Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is more powerful than the Bugatti Veyron (the original, at least). The latter came out some two decades ago, with a W16 motor making 987 horsepower (1,001 ps/736 kW), and now we have a production 'Vette that is punchier.

The magic numbers are 1,064 hp (1,079 ps/794 kW) and 828 pound-feet (1,123 Nm) of torque produced by its flat-plane crank V8. The 5.5 twin-turbocharged motor drives the rear wheels through a 7sp dual-clutch transmission. Users can rev the engine up to 7,000 rpm, and this beast has a top speed of 233 miles per hour (375 kph).

It's only a matter of time before the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 becomes a common sight at drag strips nationwide. Meanwhile, its lesser siblings, especially the electrified E-Ray and track-focused Z06, keep proving their worth down the quarter mile. The internet features countless videos showing these models in all kinds of 1/4-mile battles against other fast machines. It also includes the Stingray, which may be the entry-level flavor, but it's mighty fast.

This story is all about the first-ever electrified 'Vette with all-wheel drive, namely the E-Ray. This eco-friendlier alternative to the rest of the range was recently filmed at the Island Dragway in New Jersey, taking on a Tesla Model 3. The Corvette E-Ray packs the same lump as the Stingray, a 495-horsepower (502 ps/369 kW) 6.2L V8, which drives the rear wheels. A 160-hp (162 ps/119 kW) electric motor sets the front wheels in motion, and it has 655 hp (664 ps/489 kW) combined.

Naught to sixty mph (97 kph) takes 2.5 seconds, and the quarter-mile is a 10.5-second affair on a good day. However, while it lays down all those horses very well, it still needs an experienced driver who's familiar with this model to make the best of it down the quarter-mile. But can it handle itself against a Tesla Model 3? Well, it depends on the spec of the battery-electric sedan, and in this case, it was a Performance (presumably) version that lined up at the start line next to the Corvette E-Ray.

As you have likely gotten used to, we won't reveal the big winner, but we will tell you that the two fast machines were equally matched. Moreover, they went against each other twice to settle their dispute, and you can watch the head-to-head battles in the short video shared below, which came via ImportRace on YouTube.