Stephen Bieda’s EV Blog

Corvette hits the big 6-0

The car heralded as "America's Sports Car" is turning 60 and we’re looking at its past, present and future.

Toronto Star Wheels June 1, 2012

Henry Stancu

“In my opinion an electric Corvette would be pretty cool because it’s a lighter weight vehicle that lends itself to the battery technology and limitations as far as range goes,” said Stephen Bieda, director of communications and marketing at Hamilton’s McMaster Institute for Automotive Research and Technology.

“We were at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last month competing with our McMaster SAE hybrid team, where we unfortunately finished ninth due of electrical problems, but the high-performance side of the spectrum is where the innovations come from, so it’s a perfect fit for cars like Corvettes, Mustangs and Porches,” he said.

Hybrid, all electric and more fuel efficient cars are here to stay but it may be hard to picture…or at least hear and feel the noiseless throb of an Electra Vette engine at a race track.

“There are ways of making electric motors sound tough, but it does run contrary to ecological sustainability for traffic and congestion,” Bieda added.