NASCAR Shows Off Electric Car Prototype

NASCAR showed off a new electric car prototype at the Chicago Street Raceway today as part of a presentation on sustainability initiatives, for which it has a new partner in Swedish electric company ABB. The car, which looks like a high-performance crossover like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, is in many ways a complete departure from the traditional car. Don’t expect the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype to replace the gas-burning V8 anytime soon.

NASCAR says the car has three electric motors — one in the front and two in the rear — powered by a 78-kilowatt-hour liquid-cooled battery that can generate 1,000 kilowatts “at peak power.” According to today’s announcement.

NASCAR writes that the electric car sits on a modified version of the Next Generation chassis that NASCAR introduced in 2022, which was designed With a focus on switching to alternative fuelsChevrolet, Ford and Toyota helped develop it, according to the organization.

Prior to its unveiling, the $1.5 million prototype had only been driven by NASCAR driver David Ragan, Reported Associated Press. Ragan told the newspaper that his fastest lap at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia was “a tenth of a second slower” than the average racer, even though his acceleration was nearly double that of the average racer. Unsurprisingly, weight was a big factor, slowing him down in the corners.

Conventional cars do not go into the final left turn, although there are rumours that they will. Hybrids introduced within a few yearsHowever, it could do something similar to the all-electric Formula E racing series sponsored by ABB; NASCAR says it “may explore possibilities around high-performance racing.” according to NBC News.