Chevrolet surprised onlookers at SEMA in 2018 when it unveiled a one-off electrified version of its COPO Camaro. Aptly dubbed the Chevrolet eCOPO Camaro, the Bowtie’s creation began making the rounds by showing off its massive burnouts and quick quarter-mile runs in order to prove that electric cars aren’t just about fuel economy. So when it was announced last month that the only example of the eCOPO would be offered for auction at Monterey Car Week, the world held its breath waiting for the gavel to drop.
Just one problem: the eCOPO Camaro failed to sell. Representatives for auction consignor Russo and Steele confirmed to Muscle Cars and Trucks that the eCOPO ended as a no-sale when it crossed the block last month, despite the firm anticipating the car would nab between $425,000 and $525,000. It’s not clear why the eCOPO failed to sell, though it’s important to note that the car was being offered with an undisclosed reserve price. It’s quite possible that the car did attract attention at the event but ultimately failed to meet the reserve.
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To make matters even more difficult, the car has quite a niche audience. Many muscle car fans find the thought of electric cars as a whole to be boring and soulless, while a great number of electric car enthusiasts aren’t exactly shopping for an EV wrapped in a pony car’s shell. With the eCOPO being a one-off example that blends an already unique offering from GM with a new electric propulsion system, determining the car’s true value has proven to be a difficult task.
Despite the controversy over the car’s price and origin, it’s hard to deny that the eCOPO wasn’t a magnificent piece of engineering by GM. Its all-electric dual-motor design pumped out a respectable 700 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque which was all available from a standstill, giving the car enough juice to complete the quarter-mile in just 9.51 seconds. The excitement generated by GM’s new electric performance coupe was enough to make it consider releasing a crate motor package based on the eCOPO’s powerplant, though little talk has been made on the subject since the car’s debut.
But perhaps the key takeaway from the eCOPO’s auction failure is that the world might not be ready for an electric muscle car. Though GM has previously denied being involved in the sale of the eCOPO, it may have been keeping a close eye on the results of the sale to determine if a volume production run of the car would be worthwhile. That answer, unfortunately, is simply “no” at this point in time.
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