Corvette’s legendary Chief Engineer, Tony Roma, has made one thing crystal clear Chevrolet won’t be diving headfirst into the fully electric Corvette pool just because it’s trendy. If and when the Corvette embraces a battery-powered future, it’ll be because the need and demand are undeniable.

Enter the E-Ray, the first electrified Corvette to grace the streets. It’s already causing a stir, but the question remains: will we ever see a fully electric ‘Vette? Chevy’s answer: not until there’s a tangible benefit.

In a candid chat with CBS News, Roma outlined the strategy. An electric Corvette isn’t on the immediate horizon unless it does one crucial thing: make the car better, faster, or more desirable. As it stands, there’s no overwhelming clamor from enthusiasts or a performance edge that justifies a shift.

"We talk about this a lot. I talk about this with enthusiasts, my friends, other engineers," Roma said. "We’re not going to apply electrification just for the sake of it. We don’t put technology on for technology’s sake, so it kind of has to earn its way in. It has to make the car better in some way that our customers are going to respond to."

Backing him up is CEO Mary Barra, who reiterated to CBS News that the market will guide Chevy’s moves. "We’ll be guided by the consumer, but the plans we have will get us there," she explained.

While the EV buzz might be cooling off, Chevrolet still has its sights set on an all-electric lineup by 2035. That timeline includes the Corvette, but with more than a decade to go, it’s safe to say that a fully electric version is far from imminent. 

However, what’s coming much sooner is the Zora hybrid, a high-performance beast that’s been caught testing on the Nürburgring. Spy shots reveal the prototype sporting high-voltage warning stickers suggesting electrification and styling cues borrowed from the E-Ray. If we’re lucky, it could pack over 895 kW (that’s more than 1,200 metric horses) under its sculpted bonnet. And if it lives up to expectations, it’ll be the hybrid Corvette we’ve all been waiting for.

Chevy’s playing the long game, and they’re not about to rush it. When the time’s right, though, you can bet the Corvette will be ready to electrify the world in more ways than one.