The earth-shaking roar of V8 engines is one of NASCAR’s defining traits and that is set to remain a key part of the series in the coming years. However, the American series is also looking to accelerate its decarbonisation efforts, which is why it launched a 1000kW electric demonstrator car during last weekend’s Cup Series round in Chicago.
The ABB NASCAR EV Prototype has been developed under a new partnership between NASCAR and ABB, the Swedish-Swiss electrical equipment company that is also title sponsor of the FIA Formula E World Championship.
The all-wheel-drive demonstrator was developed in collaboration with current NASCAR manufacturers Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota. Engineers who worked on the existing Next Gen car and the Garage 56 entry at last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans were also involved in the project. Power is generated by three UHP six-phase electric motors from STARD. One is positioned at the front and two are located at the rear. The 10000kW powertrain also includes a 78kWh liquid-cooled battery. Kinetic energy from regenerative braking is converted into power.
Photo: NASCAR
The prototype’s bodywork is in a generic Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) style and is constructed with flax-based composite. The chassis is modified from the current Next Gen car that races in the Cup Series, while the steering, suspension, brakes and wheels are all directly derived from it.
‘There could not be a more optimal moment in time to announce our firs...