NASCAR, the stock car racing sanctioning body known for its high-octane events across the United States, is taking a significant step toward a greener future. In July, during the Chicago Street Race event, NASCAR unveiled a prototype battery-powered race car that marks the beginning of its push to decarbonize motorsports. This move is part of NASCAR’s broader strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035.
The electric prototype represents a collaborative effort between NASCAR and its traditional Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partners—Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota—along with ABB, a global technology leader. Built by NASCAR engineers, the car features three 6-Phase motors from Stohl Advanced Research and Development, an Austrian specialist in electric vehicle powertrains. These motors together produce 1,000 kilowatts at peak power, equivalent to approximately 1,300 horsepower. The energy is supplied by a 78-kilowatt-hour liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, operating at 756 volts, though the specific battery chemistry remains a closely guarded secret.
C.J. Tobin, Senior Engineer of Vehicle Systems at NASCAR and the lead engineer on the EV prototype project, explained the motivation behind the development. He told IEEE Spectrum that “The push for electric vehicles is continuing to grow, and when we started this project one and a half years ago, that growth was rapid. We wanted to showcase our ability to put an electric stock car on the track in collaboration with our OEM partners. Our racing series have always been a platform for OEMs to showcase their stock cars, and this is just another tool for them to demonstrate what they can offer to the public.”
Eleftheria Kontou, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign whose primary research focus is transportation engineering, said in an interview that “It was an excellent introduction of the new technology to NASCAR fans, and I hope that the fans will be open to seeing more innovations in that space.”
The electric race car is not just about speed; it’s also about sustainability. The car’s body panels are made from ampliTex, a sustainable flax-based composite supplied by Bcomp, a Swiss manufacturer specializing in composites made from natural fibers. AmpliTex is lighter, more moldable, and more durable than traditional materials like steel or aluminum, making the car more efficient and aerodynamic.
Regenerative braking is another key feature of the electric race car. As it slows down, the car can convert some of its kinetic energy into electric charge that feeds back into the battery. This feature most advantageous on road courses like the one in Chicago and on short oval tracks like Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
“The Chicago Street Race was a great introduction for the EV prototype because it happens in a real-world setup where electric vehicles tend to thrive,” says Kontou, who also serves on the Steering Committee of the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation. “[It was a good venue for the car’s unveiling] because navigating the course requires more braking than is typical at many speedway tracks.”
Though the electric prototype is part of a larger NASCAR sustainability initiative, “There are no plans to use the electric vehicle in competition at this time,” a spokesman said. “The internal combustion engine plays an important role in NASCAR and there are no plans to move away from that.” So, die-hard stock-car racing fans can still anticipate the sounds and smells of V-8 engines burning gasoline as they hurtle around tracks and through street courses.
“The Chicago Street Race was a great introduction for the EV prototype because it happens in a real-world setup where electric vehicles tend to thrive.” —Eleftheria Kontou, University of Illinois
In its sustainability efforts, NASCAR lags well behind Formula One, its largest rival atop the world’s motorsports hierarchy. Since 2014, Formula One’s parent organization, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), has had an all-electric racing spinoff, called Formula E. For the current season, which began in July, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship series boasts 11 teams competing in 17 races. This year’s races feature the league’s third generation of electric race cars, and a fourth generation is planned for introduction in 2026.
Asked how NASCAR plans to follow through on its pledge to make its core operations net-zero emissions by its self-imposed target date, the spokesman pointed to changes that would counterbalance the output of traditional stock cars, which are notorious for their poor fuel efficiency and high carbon emissions. Those include 100 percent renewable electricity at NASCAR-owned racetracks and facilities, and tradeoffs such as recycling and on-site charging stations for use by fans with EVs.
The spokesman also noted that NASCAR and its OEM partners are developing racing fuel that’s more sustainable in light of the fact that stock cars consume, on average, about 47 liters for every 100 km they drive (5 miles per gallon). For comparison, U.S. federal regulators announced in June that they would begin enforcing an industry-wide fleet average of approximately 5.6 liters per 100 kilometers (50.4 miles per gallon) for model year 2031 and beyond. Fortunately for NASCAR, race cars are exempt from fuel-efficiency and tailpipe-emissions rules.
While some may be tempted to compare NASCAR’s prototype racer with the cars featured in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Tobin emphasized that NASCAR’s approach in designing the prototype was distinct. “Outside of us seeing that there was a series out there racing electric vehicles and seeing how things were run with Formula E, we leaned heavily on our OEMs and went with what they wanted to see at that time,” he said.
The apparently slow transition to electric vehicles in NASCAR is seen by some in the organization as both a response to environmental concerns and a proactive move to stay ahead of potential legislation that could threaten the future of motorsports. “NASCAR and our OEM partners want to be in the driver’s seat, no matter where we’re going,” says Tobin. “With the development of [the NextGen EV prototype], we wanted to showcase the modularity of the chassis and what powertrains we can build upon it—whether that be alternative fuels, battery electric power, or something unforeseen in the future…We want to continue to push the envelope.”
Related Articles Around the Web
