Electric NASCAR Car’s Naked Flax-Based Body Revealed
The electric NASCAR prototype race car revealed at the Chicago Street Race was revolutionary for the sport in a number of ways.
Along with its 1,300 hp all-wheel drivetrain and crossover utility vehicle design, the vehicle previews a new material that could be used on future race cars of any design.
It’s a flax-based composite developed by Bcomp that lowers its carbon footprint.
The experimental car has a generic body design that is similar to models like the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Ford Mustang Mach-E, with a muscular shape that features complex curves.
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The vehicle was built on a modified version of the same chassis used by the seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series cars, which was designed to accommodate a variety of bodies and powertrains.
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The material combines Bcomp’s ampliTex™ technical fabrics in with powerRibs™, which are inspired by the vein structure of leaves.
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The material provides similar strength to traditional carbon fiber composites, but its manufacture reduces carbon emissions by 85%.
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Bcomp says that the material also doesn’t shatter into sharp pieces when it breaks, which could improve race car safety.
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NASCAR has not said if or when it will use the material for the cars in any of the series and also has no current plans to launch a series for the all-electric car, but said lessons learned from the project will inform its future decisions.
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