NASCAR reveal stunning first ELECTRIC car prototype

NASCAR unveiled the first prototype of its venture into battery electric vehicles at the Chicago Street Race.

The series made a name for itself on its powerful petrol engines and the hard-nosed, traditional racing fans and teams pride to this day, but recently NASCAR has been making waves in innovative areas, and the reveal of an electric prototype marks a significant step, though there are doubts about the actual functionality of the project.

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NASCAR looked to get ahead of nay-sayers by claiming that any shift towards electrifying the series 'will likely be slow, measured and reasonable.'

Perhaps predictably, the launch faced some backlash, with critics pulling out the "woke" card and claiming electric to be the final nail in NASCAR's coffin.

How does the NASCAR electric car prototype look?

The electric prototype has been developed by Swiss start-up Bcomp, and is partnered with Formula E title sponsor ABB, a global leader in electrification and automation, as well as collaboration with Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota.

The concept car is designed to help the series "learn", according to John Probst, NASCAR’s senior vice president and chief racing development officer.

"They’re on hybrids [in IMSA racing]. Today we have battery electric. I’m not sitting here saying we’re going to announce a series. That’s not what this is about. We built this car. We put it on track. That is our point, is to learn.

"We’ll have a story tell as we learn. And we’ll be in the driver’s seat wherever our future takes us. If you look out across the landscape, one thing that’s for certain is that change is accelerating all around us."

NASCAR described the venture as 'pushing the limits of what's possible'. The project is part of wider sustainability goals, including its commitment to net zero operating emissions by 2035.

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NASCAR has revealed its first electric vehicle prototype. 👀 pic.twitter.com/zd9ypnSxuS

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 6, 2024

On the performance front, the car is capable of producing 1,000 kW at peak power, with regenerative braking converting kinetic energy into power, making it 'ideal for road courses and short oval tracks.'

“We are thrilled to be entering this important phase with NASCAR with whom we have a strong shared vision for sustainability," said Johann Wacht, Bcomp's Key Account Manager of Automotive and Motorsports.

"This collaboration is Bcomp’s first major US motorsport project, and we are excited to demonstrate together with the NASCAR IMPACT team how racing can pave the way for sustainable innovations, enabling benefits for wider society further down the road."

NASCAR VP of Vehicle Design Brandon Thomas said: “Integrating sustainable innovations into the design process helps set the standard for sustainability across our industry and supports forward progress towards the company’s sustainability goals and targets."

The practicality of the concept is yet to be fully fleshed out. Ford Performance's manager of NASCAR and analytics Pat DiMarco admitted EVs would not be appearing at the treasured Daytona 500, and former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick insisted there was no future for NASCAR electric vehicle racing.

NASCAR’s new electric vehicle prototype takes off from a standing start. 👀

🎥: @dustinlong pic.twitter.com/9gt7xVkEGr

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 7, 2024

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