NASCAR nad ABB have together unveiled a new electric racing prototype at the Chicago Street Race. Visually based on the Toyota bZ4x, the concept was developed together with NASCAR's OEM partners -- Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota -- and was built by the NASCAR engineers responsible for the Next Gen race car currently used in NASCAR competition as well as the Garage 56 entry that saw a NASCAR race car compete at Le Mans for the first time last year.
We certainly didn't have an electric, all-wheel drive NASCAR crossover on our motorsport bingo card. This prototype represents a bold new direction in thinking for NASCAR, though they were careful to reiterate their "historic" commitment to internal combustion racing.
The electrified stock car has three STARD UHP 6-Phase motors (one front, two rear) which supply power to all four custom Goodyear Racing Eagle tires. Using a 78-kWh liquid-cooled battery, the tunable powertrain can produce up to 1,000 kW of power. Regenerative braking recaptures kinetic energy, making the car ideal for road courses and short oval tracks. The prototype uses a sustainable flax-based composite material and sits on a modified Next Gen chassis and uses the same steering, suspension, brakes, and wheels from the NASCAR Cup Series race cars.
This prototype is a product of ABB has partnered with NASCAR Impact, whose mission is to "strengthen its communities and contribute to a healthier planet". ABB will help NASCAR Impact work toward achieving its public sustainability targets around electrification and electric vehicle charging.
NASCAR has reiterated its commitment to combustion engine in racing, but says it is also committed to decarbonizing its operations and reducing its own carbon footprint to zero across its core operations by 2035 "through electrification and innovative solutions".
We'll have to wait and see if this prototype gets to see any racing action, similar to that of the often-thrilling ABB Formula E championship.
