Chevrolet Has Changed The Face Of Hot Rodding With Their E-10 Concept
What can you achieve in just 18 weeks? I could probably just about finish reading a long novel, or maybe a jigsaw or sudoku? As you can tell, not very much, unlike Chevrolet, who in just 18 weeks has completely changed the future of hot rodding with their new E-10 Concept.
It looks pretty good, doesn’t it? Like a modern C-10 while retaining the retro look of the original model, and that’s one hell of nice looking V8 under the hood. Look closer, though, and you’ll realise that it isn’t a V8. It’s in fact part of a “Connect & Cruise” electric powertrain. Lift the solid tonneau cover and you’ll find the 60kWh batteries powering what’s called the “ecrate” motor that you thought was an engine.
It produces around 450bhp which is fed through a traditional automatic trans and to the rear wheels. According to Chevrolet, despite the high weight of the batteries and chassis, it can reach 60mph in less than five seconds and can kill of a quarter mile in the high 13s.
Additionally to the electric powertrain, it’s been lowered, painted in an orange you’ll never miss even in the sea of cars at SEMA, and 20-inch wheels sit on the front, paired with 22s at the back. You’re not going to miss this car, especially when its engine roars to life when you turn the key.
Yeah, I thought that might confuse you. It has three speakers, one at the front and two at the back, and five modes of emulation. You can choose to sound like the Camaro Z28’s LS7 in either track or touring mode, a random V8, or a futuristic space ship straight from War of the Worlds. The final mode is silence, but who wants that when the rest of the vehicle is so flashy?
What’s the point of this, though? Well GM could use this ‘crate’ electric motor to produce an EV powertrain that can be bought like any other crate motor. Just like an LS3, you could get this delivered straight to your door. We’re up for that.
