Why there is no V8 hybrid tech available to the Camaro?
 

If the Corvette E-Ray has been a performing great hit for GM, I wounder Why they dont applied that V8 hybrid Tech to the great performing Alpha chassis Camaro to keep it alive?

Because those running GM are lazy and would rather cancel divisions and models then to work hard to promote, change, and innovate products.
GM doesn't want to keep the Camaro alive because the Camaro steals valuable parts away from their cash cows.

I.E. Camaro sales didn't die because consumers killed it, the Camaro died because GM purposely killed it...

Exactly. They don't want the Camaro anymore, they simply gave up in 2018 as they wholeheartedly adopted the trend du jour and, to be brutally honest, in a lesser way also seeing how it sold worse than the 5th gen, and are now milking the last ounces of $$$ juice out of the car before discontinuing it.

This doesn't have to be the case forever, of course, but that would require a completely different corporate mindset and management, which isn't on the horizon.

$$$$

Same drivetrain retails for $50K more in Cadillac badge.

They can't apply the same tech to a completely different platform.

Where would they put the electric drive motor for the AWD? Where would the battery go? Where would the development dollars come from?

Never a possibility for the 6th gen.

None of the Cadillacs share the E-Ray powertrain.

True. I would love to remember the "YEAR" that I last saw a commercial for the Camaro on any regular programming TV show. They advertise and push what they want to sell.

I was in GM Portfolio Planning until I retired in 2017. Specifically focused on powertrain and technology. Hybrid technology was considered but not finalized for a Gen 7 Camaro. We all know how Gen 7 went, so I won’t dwell on that. There were considerations of pairing a 4 cylinder or a 6 cylinder with hybridization to produce a vehicle that would perform like a V8, but much better fuel economy. I don’t recall any consideration of a V8 based hybrid for Camaro. It works for Corvette because the mid-engine placement leaves room for the electric motor up front where the engine would be for a Camaro. Leave the V8 in the front and you do not get an “AWD via e-motor” solution for Camaro.

By the time I left, the company was on a path of stopping development on anything hybrid except Corvette (too far along in development, plus e-motor is necessary to achieve the target hp numbers that are still to come ;) ) and except China. Planned Buick and CUV versions of the Chevy Volt were cancelled (except in China).

The thing with hybrids, especially plug-in hybrids is there is development cost and material cost required to support two fully functioning powertrain systems. For GM’s portfolio, a simple hybrid, like Prius, does very little to help with achieving fuel economy regulations. A lot of truck volume to offset. Toyota does not have that issue and they are also way down the cost curve for hybrid systems. Toyota can afford to have some nameplates that are hybrid only (Prius, Venza, Sienna, something else I’m forgetting). So for GM, the answer had to be plug-in hybrid and/or EV. Because plug-in hybrids require engineering two propulsion systems and also require a fairly large battery, GM decided to skip hybrid and just go straight to EV. There are many other factors in the decision to go EV, I am only discussing the “hybrid facing” part of the decision.

GM is also saving eray platform for the rumored awd hybrid zr1.

I figure maybe a SC LT2 with front wheel e-awd motor. They say somewhere around 850 combined hp.

Thanks Martinjlm for the info !!


I assume like Ford with their E Mustang that GM would find a way to use the brand of Camaro again. Trouble is now that EV's in NA sales are less than stellar, I expect a lot of plans are now getting revised. What if there weren't all those subsidies?

Because the platform has to be redesigned to integrate this. Maybe they will, maybe they wont. GM did the same thing to previous Gen Camaros. Killed it off just to bring it right back again. This time will likely be no different.

Current sales are a snapshot in time. More a result of limited product bandwidth and price range than they are an indication of future sales. The canary in the coal mine will be the Equinox EV. If that one sits on lots, then OEMs will be scratching their heads. Unless GM does something stupid like price it in the $40s.