It turns out that one way to make a Corvette even faster is to pull out the engine and add batteries.
Genovation Cars is a company that, among other things, converts Corvettes to electric power, creating a high-performance sports car it calls the Genovation eXtreme Electric (GXE, for short).
And now the company claims to have broken the top-speed record for production-based electric cars with one of these vehicles.
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During a test conducted at NASA's former Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, a GXE reached a top speed of 186.8 mph after 1 mile.
As shown in a video clip released by Genovation, the electric Corvette did the deed with a lot less noise than one of its gasoline-powered counterparts.
Certified by the International Mile Racing Association, the run beat the previous record of 177 mph.
![Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt](https://images.hgmsites.net/lrg/genovation-gxe-electric-corvette-record-attempt_100550805_l.jpg)
Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt
It also beats the 174 mph achieved last year by another electric-car conversion called "Zombie 222," which is based on a 1968 Ford Mustang.
While it may be based on an existing vehicle like the Mustang, the GXE's bones are a bit more youthful.
The car used in the record run was based on a 2006 Corvette Z06.
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But instead of the stock 7.0-liter V-8 engine, the GXE has an electric powertrain that develops "in excess of" 700 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, according to the company.
Not a bad upgrade from the 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of the stock version.
Genovation claims the GXE could achieve 200 mph with a long enough straightaway, and that it has a 130-mile range when driven more sedately.
![Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt](https://images.hgmsites.net/lrg/genovation-gxe-electric-corvette-record-attempt_100550806_l.jpg)
Genovation GXE electric Corvette record attempt
If that sounds appealing to you, Genovation will make a copy for $330,000—or $290,000 if a Corvette donor car is supplied.
While building insanely fast electric Corvettes is an admirable pursuit, it isn't Genovation's only business.
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The company is also developing a bespoke car called the G2, that it hopes to offer in both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid configurations.
It claims to have created quarter-scale models, conducted virtual crash-test simulations, and completed other early development work.
Genovation plans to partner with other companies to complete development of the G2, including India's Tata Technologies.
[hat tip: Patrick Sandham]
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