NASCAR has announced a new electric car for circuit racing

NASCAR presented a prototype electric racing car at the Chicago Street Race. The Swedish company ABB, specializing in electrification, acted as a project partner.

This prototype resembles a crossover, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, and differs from traditional stock cars. However, don’t expect it to replace the usual V8 engines on the track anytime soon.

According to NASCAR statements, the car is equipped with three electric motors – one in the front and two in the back, powered by a 78kWh liquid-cooled battery that can generate up to 1,000kW of peak power. The electric car is based on a modified Next Gen chassis introduced by NASCAR in 2022, which was developed with a possible transition to alternative fuels. Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota participated in the creation of the prototype.

NASCAR driver David Regan, who first tested the $1.5 million prototype, reported that his fastest lap at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia was only two-tenths of a second slower than the conventional car. The acceleration of the electric car was almost twice as great, but the weight of the car slowed it down when cornering.

While traditional stock cars remain on the track for now, there are rumors of a possible introduction of hybrids in the coming years. NASCAR is also considering creating a separate racing series for high-performance electric cars, similar to Formula E, which is sponsored by ABB.