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The First Corvette EV Was Built by Motorola in the 1990s

Side view of the electric Chevrolet Corvette prototype made by Motorola
Electric Chevrolet Corvette prototype made by Motorola. Credit: eBay

In the early 1990s, long before the automotive industry was pushing electric vehicles as the next big thing in transportation, telecommunications giant Motorola made an audacious move: it built a fully electric Corvette. Far from the EV experiments of today’s automotive brands, Motorola’s electric 1987 Corvette was a marvel that combined raw power with futuristic engineering. Modified for electric propulsion, the C4 Corvette top-secret prototype boasted a custom-built powertrain delivering over 400 horses, swappable battery packs, and a classic stick-shift transmission. 

Remarkably, this Corvette’s appearance remained almost indistinguishable from its gasoline-powered counterparts, maintaining a perfect stock look. For Motorola—a household name in tech during an era when companies like it held a role similar to today’s Silicon Valley powerhouses—the project was as much a statement of technological vision as it was a showcase of engineering prowess. This article delves into the story behind this pioneering EV, a reminder of a remarkable chapter in Corvette history.

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