Interesting, will NASCAR electric cars be charged by sharp turns?
NASCAR unveiled an electric racing car prototype at the Chicago Street Race as part of a new sustainability initiative, in partnership with the Swedish company ABB specializing in electrification.
The new prototype resembles more of a crossover like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, rather than a traditional stock car. However, it is not expected to replace the familiar V8 engines on the track anytime soon.
According to NASCAR data, the car is equipped with three electric motors - one at the front and two at the back. They are powered by a 78 kWh liquid-cooled battery capable of generating up to 1000 kW peak power. The electric car is based on a modified Next Gen chassis introduced by NASCAR in 2022, designed with the possibility of transitioning to alternative fuels in mind. Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota were involved in creating the prototype.
David Ragan, a NASCAR driver who was the first to test the $1.5 million prototype, reported that his fastest lap at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia was only two tenths of a second slower than a regular car, despite the electric car having nearly double the acceleration. The main factor slowing the car down on turns was its weight.
While traditional stock cars are not planning to leave the track anytime soon, there are rumors of possible hybrids being introduced in a few years. NASCAR is also considering the possibility of creating a separate series of races for high-performance electric cars, similar to Formula E sponsored by ABB.
Comments (0)
There are no comments for now