Photo: Chevrolet
As the SEMA 2018 event kicks off in Las Vegas on Tuesday, the excitement of new reveals is growing, with carmakers already starting to show their special treats for the event.
Chevrolet is among the first to have already shown part of its lineup of two dozen concepts and show vehicles on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center: the Shock Yellow Camaro SS and the COPO Camaro.
This drag racing-built COPO Camaro is however not the only one meant for the strip. An electric variant of it has also been created, using GM’s first 800-volt battery pack and a pair of BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motor assemblies that can generate 300 lb-ft of torque.
By pairing the motors with a conventional racing-prepped Turbo 400 automatic transmission, Chevy believes it can make the car run the quarter mile in the 9-second range. The carmaker does not know for sure yet as tests of the car are still ongoing.
As for the battery, it comprises four 200-volt modules, two of which are located in the rear seat area and the others in the trunk. This allows for optimum weight distribution for drag racing, the eCOPO Camaro offering rear-weight bias greater than 56 percent.
Having built the electric Camaro for drag racing, Chevrolet is now eyeing a segment of the auto parts market that is currently void of big players. For years, Chevy has been one of the preferred suppliers of crate engines for tuners across the U.S., so why not envision a market for electric crate motors?
“The possibilities are intriguing and suggest a whole new world for racers,” said in a statement Russ O’Blenes, GM’s performance parts director.
“Chevrolet pioneered the concept of the high-performance crate engine right around the time the original COPO Camaro models were created, and the eCOPO project points to a future that could include electric crate motors for racing, or even your street rod. We’re not there yet, but it’s something we’re exploring.”
This drag racing-built COPO Camaro is however not the only one meant for the strip. An electric variant of it has also been created, using GM’s first 800-volt battery pack and a pair of BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motor assemblies that can generate 300 lb-ft of torque.
By pairing the motors with a conventional racing-prepped Turbo 400 automatic transmission, Chevy believes it can make the car run the quarter mile in the 9-second range. The carmaker does not know for sure yet as tests of the car are still ongoing.
As for the battery, it comprises four 200-volt modules, two of which are located in the rear seat area and the others in the trunk. This allows for optimum weight distribution for drag racing, the eCOPO Camaro offering rear-weight bias greater than 56 percent.
Having built the electric Camaro for drag racing, Chevrolet is now eyeing a segment of the auto parts market that is currently void of big players. For years, Chevy has been one of the preferred suppliers of crate engines for tuners across the U.S., so why not envision a market for electric crate motors?
“The possibilities are intriguing and suggest a whole new world for racers,” said in a statement Russ O’Blenes, GM’s performance parts director.
“Chevrolet pioneered the concept of the high-performance crate engine right around the time the original COPO Camaro models were created, and the eCOPO project points to a future that could include electric crate motors for racing, or even your street rod. We’re not there yet, but it’s something we’re exploring.”
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