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Callaway a BIG Fan of Electric Vehicles (Article)

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:09 am
by *89x2*
CALLAWAY ‘A BIG FAN OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES’
GM’s Commitment To Electrification Excites The Iconic American Performance Company

by Manoli Katakis
It’s no secret that General Motors is going all-in on electric vehicles; something that’s likely going to be a turbulent transition in the near term. Even as fun and powerful vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV, and future (unofficially confirmed) Corvette hybrid variants like the E-Ray and Zora are hotly anticipated, as well as a potential electric Corvette SUV, the aftermarket industry is starting to look left out.

There will be fewer new engines to tweak and tune, fewer new exhaust systems to upgrade, and less drivelines to augment. It may take a while for the $48 billion per-year aftermarket industry to sync back up with various mandates that are marching automakers towards electric vehicles, but not everybody is dreading the transition to a so-called All Electric Future™.

“I am a big fan of electric vehicles,” said Callaway Cars founder and owner Reeves Callaway to MC&T. “It makes so much sense to make a high performance electric (vehicle), simply because of the way power is generated and applied. It’s fantastic to have max torque at zero RPM.”

Callaway, once a Chevrolet Volt owner, seems to understand the inherent benefits to electric vehicles and hybrids, and is currently waiting to see what General Motors will allow his company to tweak, tune, and otherwise supplement the OEM’s existing lineup.

“We’ve done so many things… we’re flexible in how we assign ourselves,” said Reeves. “We’re just waiting for exactly the right platform to exercise some of those abilities I think. We’re very glad they’re going in that direction.”

GM's Chevrolet Silverado EV truck is rumored to begin production at the end of next year. This will place the electric Silverado on sale in early 2023 as a 2024 MY vehicle.

While the GMC Hummer EV family will be fully electric, it may be an easier transition for Callaway to upgrade the C8 Corvette, which isn’t expected to omit its engine anytime soon. But, as mentioned, it will go hybrid before it could turn into an electric vehicle.

“I hope (Corvette) goes in that direction,” said Callaway. “If you look at it as the beginning as incorporating some additional electric drive to the Corvette, I hope that’s the way it goes.”

Callaway otherwise has no major announcements regarding the opportunity on GM’s future electric vehicles at this time. But with a fleet of electric trucks and SUVs on the way from Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC, there’s likely to be no shortage of electric performance options by mid-decade.

Re: Callaway a BIG Fan of Electric Vehicles (Article)

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:11 am
by Rudevette
I see no benefit whatsoever to electric vehicles. I have a friend who drove his Tesla from Kalifornia to Montana, then to Kentucky last year and after hearing of his experience it reinforced my beliefs that electric cars are for low mileage daily driving only. Those of us who jump in our corvette and drive 15 hours in a day would never get where we’re going in an electric car without adding days to our trip. Not to mention trying to do a trip in the South Dakota winter would never work. And this is just the tip of the problems with electric cars.

I’m just not on board. I think Reeves needs to say he loves the electric car thing because if he says anything else GM will quit their affiliations with his company.

-Justin

Re: Callaway a BIG Fan of Electric Vehicles (Article)

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:10 pm
by BIGJOHN
Four electric motors one for each wheel they are very fast!

Re: Callaway a BIG Fan of Electric Vehicles (Article)

Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 12:31 pm
by sven-labil
Do you mean the Rivian truck (which they say they’ll start delivering to customers in June)? I think the highest number of electric motors until then is the triple motor Audi e-tron S (which is specified to be slightly slower than my Tesla Model S 75D :conf ). Next with three motors (at least in the US) may be the Model S Plaid that’s supposed do 0-60 in <2s :cool

I agree that an all-electric drive train wouldn’t be right in a sports car. While accelerating in a Tesla P100D or a Porsche Taycan Turbo is fun, there’s definitely something missing. It’s more like riding a fast elevator… (The Taycan was actually good on a race track despite all that weight, the current Model S wouldn’t…) In my opinion sports cars should be a bit awkward and quirky. The best I’ve driven was a Ruf RTurbo 550, (a Ruf tuned Porsche 911 996,) but it was simply too good ;) My -87 Callaway is more fun.

It will probably take a few years before there’s an electric car that’s suitable for 15 hr/day marathon driving. However, for us lazy people there are cars from several manufacturers which are good enough. (The limiting factor, at least in Europe, unless you have a Tesla, is the charging network.) I have very rarely felt the need for longer range than I get from the 75kWh pack (72 kWh usable), even on a trip 3500 mile from Sweden to France (with a visit to the Nürburgring on the way back :) ). I wanted to stop and stretch my legs more often than the car needed to charge and during lunch we could come in with 10% and leave with 100% state of charge. The only downside was being limited to the restaurants near the supercharger. (Easily outweighed by saving at least $1000 by using free electricity instead of gas. I could also go on about the environmental aspects…)

Re: Callaway a BIG Fan of Electric Vehicles (Article)

Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 2:08 pm
by SurfnSun
I got to experience a Tesla p100d last year. It is amazingly fast but lacks soul. What I like to have one for a daily driver? Yes I think I would but road trips would absolutely be off the table.

A hybrid can be nice because you still get the quick fueling capability. Going solely electric I can't ever see doing it.