Remember the eCOPO Camaro that made all that noise — pun absolutely intended — upon its unveil at last year’s SEMA Show and in subsequent NHRA exhibitions? Well you can own that sucker, and at one-of-one, its as rare as they come. The question to be determined is whether or not its valuable…in-demand.
Unveiled alongside the 2019 Chevrolet COPO Camaro — and virtually identical in outward appearance to its internal combustion counterpart — the eCOPO was the source of both applause and ridicule; one side recognizing the engineering accomplishment, and the other fearing for the future of traditional gas-burning engines. But nevertheless, it showcased Chevrolet’s vision for today and the future in a way that no other manufacturer has.
Chevrolet Performance teamed with Hancock and Lane Racing on the project, assembling a pair of BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motors, each generating 300 lb-ft of torque and creating the equivalent of 700 horsepower, all powered by an 800-volt battery pack. A traditional Turbo 400-style transmission was re-engineered to transmit the instant power from the electric motors to a solid rear axle, just like what’s found in the production COPO.
At the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Winternationals in February, Patrick McCue — who was behind the record-holding “Shock and Awe” electric drag racing car and a Seattle-area automotive technology program — drove the car to a 9.837 at 134.07 mph in front of the Auto Club Raceway crowd, whose applause for the feat was considerably louder than the car itself (a wisecrack made in all due respect).
Now, its fate rests in an upcoming Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction in Monterey, California, August 15-17. Per the consignment listing, the car has since run 9.51 at over 140 mph. No information is provided on whether Chevrolet or Hancock and Lane hold ownership over the car, but nevertheless, someone is going to get a vehicle that could be a collectable one day when projects like this are looked back on as pioneering efforts.