The First Electric Corvette Was A Secret Motorola Prototype That’s Older Than You Think – CarScoops

Originally crafted by Motorola, this piece of automotive history will set someone back six figures and it doesn’t even run

by Stephen Rivers

2 hours ago

Electric cars might be all the rage these days but it took numerous failed attempts to get here. One such swing and a miss is this 1987 Chevrolet Corvette built by none other than Motorola as a prototype. It has a wild story, currently sits in questionable condition, and can be yours for a cool $100k.

Originally spotted by TheDrive, this Vette features a no-longer-functional electric drivetrain. According to the listing, “the batteries will need to be replaced to get this car back on the road.” How many batteries it has isn’t specified nor is how much power this Corvette makes once the system is returned to its original condition.

Evidence suggests that with new batteries, this car could end up producing more than 400 hp (298 kW) without any additional modification. That’s a wild figure when compared to the V8 that originally sat under the clamshell hood. It was factory-rated at just 250 hp (186 kW) so this thing wouldn’t just be quick compared to other electric vehicles of the day, it would be fast compared to a gas-burning Corvette too.

More: Skoda’s First Electric Vehicle Was A 1939 Beer Truck

Despite its power and capability, Motorola reportedly scrapped the project when it realized that electric vehicle technology would take decades to fully mature.

Today, the Corvette sits in Gurnee, Illinois where the seller says that it’s in “wonderful cosmetic condition, with the exception of some clear coat fade on the hood.” They also claim that the interior is in “excellent condition for the year.” Excellent might be a strong word but there’s no doubt that everything looks like it could be restored to that condition without too much fuss.

There’s no question that this car deserves some sort of preservation due to its being a legitimate piece of history as the very first all-electric Corvette, even if it wasn’t built by Chevrolet itself. At the same time, its non-functional status makes us wonder if it’s worth anywhere near the $100,000 asking price. What would pay for it? Let us know below!

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Electric cars might be all the rage these days but it took numerous failed attempts to get here. One such swing and a miss is this 1987 Chevrolet Corvette built by none other than Motorola as a prototype. It has a wild story, currently sits in questionable condition, and can be yours for a cool $100k."
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Originally spotted by TheDrive, this Vette features a no-longer-functional electric drivetrain. According to the listing, “the batteries will need to be replaced to get this car back on the road.” How many batteries it has isn’t specified nor is how much power this Corvette makes once the system is returned to its original condition."
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Evidence suggests that with new batteries, this car could end up producing more than 400 hp (298 kW) without any additional modification. That’s a wild figure when compared to the V8 that originally sat under the clamshell hood. It was factory-rated at just 250 hp (186 kW) so this thing wouldn’t just be quick compared to other electric vehicles of the day, it would be fast compared to a gas-burning Corvette too."
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More: Skoda’s First Electric Vehicle Was A 1939 Beer Truck"
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Despite its power and capability, Motorola reportedly scrapped the project when it realized that electric vehicle technology would take decades to fully mature."
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Today, the Corvette sits in Gurnee, Illinois where the seller says that it’s in “wonderful cosmetic condition, with the exception of some clear coat fade on the hood.” They also claim that the interior is in “excellent condition for the year.” Excellent might be a strong word but there’s no doubt that everything looks like it could be restored to that condition without too much fuss."
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There’s no question that this car deserves some sort of preservation due to its being a legitimate piece of history as the very first all-electric Corvette, even if it wasn’t built by Chevrolet itself. At the same time, its non-functional status makes us wonder if it’s worth anywhere near the $100,000 asking price. What would pay for it? Let us know below!"
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