The groundbreaking 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, the first-ever electrified model of its kind, made history at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction on April 15 by raising a remarkable $1.1 million in support of the educational nonprofit, DonorsChoose. At this prestigious event, Tadge Juechter, the Executive Chief Engineer of Corvette, was present to generate excitement and encourage spirited bidding as the E-Ray went under the hammer on a Saturday afternoon.
DonorsChoose, established in 2000 with a mission to simplify the process of providing resources to educators, has now successfully fulfilled over two and a half million classroom projects by directly connecting donors with requests from teachers. The winning bid of $1.1 million for the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray was placed by Rick Hendrick, the chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group and the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, a 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Importantly, the entirety of this impressive sale price will go toward supporting DonorsChoose in its mission to meet the needs of public schools in disadvantaged communities.
Steve Majoros, the Chief Marketing Officer of Chevrolet, expressed the company's pride in partnering with DonorsChoose to address educational inequality by providing essential resources to underserved communities. Majoros remarked, "The Corvette E-Ray is a special product for Chevrolet, and we are honored that the proceeds from the sale of VIN 001 will aid this organization in supporting students and teachers around the nation."
The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray represents a significant milestone in the model's storied 70-year history, introducing new dimensions to what a Corvette can offer. Combining a potent 6.2-liter Small Block V-8 engine in the rear with an electric motor on the front axle, this all-wheel-drive Corvette boasts a formidable combined output of 655 horsepower. Notably, it is the fastest Corvette ever, capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 2.5 seconds.
Before the sale of the 2024 Corvette E-Ray, Chevrolet also auctioned off the first retail production models of the 2020 Corvette Stingray and the 2023 Corvette Z06. Together, the generous contributions from these vehicles bring the total amount of charitable funds raised by eighth-generation Corvettes at Barrett-Jackson auctions to an impressive $9.1 million.
