1,300 HP Electric NASCAR Racing Car Revealed And It’s An SUV With ‘Incredible’ Acceleration
NASCAR took the wraps of of its first electric racing car prototype in Chicago on Saturday and, as expected, it takes the form of a compact sport utility vehicle.
The vehicle was developed with input from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota and currently wears generic bodywork, much like the Next Gen Cup Series car prototype did when it debuted ahead of testing.
The three brands sell several electric utility vehicles similar to the car, including the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Toyota bZ4X.
The all-wheel-drive vehicle is based on the Next Gen chassis, weighs approximately 4,000 pounds and features three ABB motors that can be tuned to deliver a combined 1,300 hp.
It is equipped with a 78 kilowatt-hour battery pack and uses regenerative braking to charge the pack when it slows down, just like most production EVs.
NASCAR has tested it on the track and says it is primarily meant for road courses and short ovals where there is a lot of braking.
NASCAR CLASSIC SERIES LAUNCHING IN AUGUST
“There could not be a more optimal moment in time to announce our first IMPACT partner than in tandem with the debut of the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype at the Chicago Street Race,” Eric Nyquist, NASCAR Senior Vice President said in a release.
“ABB is an industry leader and will help in efforts to decarbonize our operations as we pursue achieving net-zero operating emissions over the next decade.”
No plans for timing on a demonstration event or the establishment of a racing series were announced.
RICHARD PETTY EXPLAINS HOW HE BECAME ‘THE KING’
NASCAR has been exploring several alternative energy options for future cars, including using hydrogen either for combustion or in an electricity-generating fuel cell that can take the place of a battery.
NASCAR senior vice president of racing development John Probst said the project is part of NASCAR’s goal to reach net-zero carbon operating emissions by 2035.
David Ragan has tested the car on the temporary quarter-mile oval built for the NASCAR Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum, on the ZMax Dragway in Charlotte and at Martinsville Speedway.
“The throttle is more responsive than what we have now. It’s just instant torque. There are literally hundreds of adjustments with the power/torque curve and the distribution between the front wheels working and the rear,” Ragan said.
“They found the sweet spot to where I could get through the center of the corner and mash the gas. You’d better be pointing the right way, because that baby is going to accelerate. That was when the kilowatts were turned up to over a thousand horsepower… The acceleration was incredible.”
This story has been updated with additional comments and information from NASCAR
