The sale of the first-ever electrified Corvette is in the history books - selling for $1.1 million at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction this past Saturday. The winning bid was cast by Rick Hendrick, chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group and owner of 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports.
Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter was on hand to generate excitement and encourage bids as the 2024 E-Ray 3LZ VIN 001 crossed the block Saturday afternoon.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray in Riptide Blue crossing the auction block at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction April 15, 2023. Credit: Chevrolet.All proceeds from the sale benefit the nonprofit DonorsChoose. Founded in 2000, the organization makes it easy for for anyone to provide resources to teachers. DonorsChoose has now fulfilled more than two and a half million classroom projects by connecting donors directly with requests from educators. Chevrolet says 100% of the E-Ray sale price will assist DonorsChoose in continuing to meet the needs of public schools in low-income communities.
Credit: Chevrolet.“General Motors and Chevrolet are proud to join DonorsChoose on its mission of combatting inequality in school funding by providing underserved communities with the resources needed for a quality education,” said Steve Majoros, chief marketing officer, Chevrolet. “The Corvette E-Ray is a special product for Chevrolet, and we are honored that the proceeds from the sale of VIN 001 will aid this organization in supporting students and teachers around the nation.”
2024 Corvette E-Ray
The E-Ray is a the first-ever hybrid Corvette in the iconic nameplate's 70-year history. It's powered by a 6.2L Small Block V-8 in the rear and an electric motor on the front axle, the first all-wheel drive Corvette produces a combined 655 horsepower. Chevrolet says it's the quickest Corvette in history, citing a 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds. The E-Ray becomes available in late 2023.
Prior to the sale of the 2024 Corvette E-Ray, Chevrolet also auctioned off first retail production models of the 2020 Corvette Stingray and the 2023 Corvette Z06. Together, these three vehicles bring the total amount of money raised for charity by eighth generation Corvettes at Barrett-Jackson auctions to $9.1 million.
Photo Credit: Chevrolet.