NASCAR’s first electric race car prototype is an all-wheel-drive engineering demonstrator developed with Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota. Unveiled with ABB in Chicago on July 6, 2024, it combines a 78-kWh battery and three electric motors with a modified Next Gen chassis and Cup Series-derived running gear. It was built to explore electrification—not announced as a retail car or the start of an electric NASCAR series.
What is NASCAR’s electric prototype?
The ABB NASCAR EV Prototype was developed by NASCAR’s research and development team alongside its OEM partners Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota. NASCAR and ABB unveiled it at the Chicago Street Race on July 6, 2024. The project was part of a broader collaboration exploring electrification in race vehicles, infrastructure and energy education.
It is an engineering prototype: NASCAR’s published material describes its design and track testing, not a production vehicle for sale. The project also drew on experience from the Next Gen car and NASCAR’s Garage 56 entry at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. NASCAR’s launch release and ABB’s announcement provide the original specifications and partnership context.
What are the prototype’s published specifications?
| Specification | Published detail |
|---|---|
| Motors | Three STARD UHP 6-Phase motors: one at the front and two at the rear |
| Battery | 78 kWh, liquid-cooled |
| Peak power | 1,000 kW, as stated by NASCAR and ABB |
| Drivetrain | All-wheel drive, powering all four tires |
| Regenerative braking | Recovers kinetic energy and converts it into power |
| Chassis and running gear | Modified Next Gen chassis with steering, suspension, brakes and wheels derived from NASCAR Cup Series components |
| Body | Crossover-style body using a flax-based composite |
| Tires | Four specially designed Goodyear Racing Eagle tires |
The motor setup is tunable, according to NASCAR and ABB. They describe the combination of all-wheel drive, regenerative braking and peak power as suited to road courses and short oval tracks. Those descriptions indicate intended track suitability; they are not published lap-time or race-distance results.
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How does it differ from a NASCAR Cup car?
The prototype retains a connection to NASCAR’s existing racing technology through its modified Next Gen chassis and Cup Series-derived steering, suspension, brakes and wheels. Its major changes are the electric powertrain and crossover-style body. The official descriptions do not provide a full side-by-side performance comparison with a Cup car.
| Area | EV prototype | Next Gen Cup car |
|---|---|---|
| Power source and layout | Battery-electric; three motors, one front and two rear | Not specified in the cited prototype announcements |
| Battery and peak power | 78-kWh liquid-cooled battery; 1,000-kW stated peak power | Not specified in the cited prototype announcements |
| Drivetrain | All-wheel drive | Not specified in the cited prototype announcements |
| Chassis and shared components | Modified Next Gen chassis; Cup Series-derived steering, suspension, brakes and wheels | The prototype sources identify the chassis as its basis but do not list Cup car specifications for comparison |
| Body form and material | Crossover-style body made from flax-based composite | Not specified in the cited prototype announcements |
| Stated track suitability | NASCAR and ABB describe it as suited to road courses and short ovals | Not specified in the cited prototype announcements |
“Not specified” means the cited prototype announcements do not establish a comparable Cup car figure; it should not be read as a claim about the Cup car itself. The sources also do not state the prototype’s weight, range, charging time or lap times.
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Does this mean NASCAR is starting an electric racing series?
No series announcement accompanied the prototype’s unveiling. In a July 10, 2024 NASCAR feature, the organization said there was no electric series on the horizon and no concrete plan for electrified racing at that time. That is a statement about the situation in July 2024, not confirmation of NASCAR’s current plans; the cited sources do not establish whether a later announcement has changed it.
The prototype demonstrates that NASCAR and its partners built and tested an electric race-car concept. By itself, it does not establish a competition format, schedule, rules, or commitment to race electric cars in a series.
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How does the project fit NASCAR’s sustainability goals?
NASCAR connected its ABB partnership to exploring electrification in vehicles and operational settings. It stated goals of reducing its carbon footprint to zero across core operations by 2035 and using 100% renewable electricity at owned tracks and facilities by 2028. Those are organizational goals, not evidence that the prototype or racing activity is emissions-free.
The wider partnership also addresses charging infrastructure and energy education. ABB’s NASCAR partnership page describes the collaboration. NASCAR’s operational targets concern its own facilities and activities; they should be distinguished from the technical capabilities of this one prototype.
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- Fully assembled with no additional items needed
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- Recharge in an hour — race nonstop for 20 minutes
- Designed tough to survive the big wreck
- Can be tuned and upgraded like a real Cup car
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- Fully assembled with no additional items needed
- Reaches speeds of 20+ mph
- Recharge in an hour — race nonstop for 20 minutes
- Designed tough to survive the big wreck
- Can be tuned and upgraded like a real Cup car
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