By Karl Plume
CHICAGO (Reuters) – NASCAR unveiled an all-electric prototype racecar on Saturday and announced an electrification deal with ABB Ltd that it says will advance sustainability goals as the U.S. stock car racing giant targets net zero operating emissions by 2035.
There are no plans for an EV racing series, however, as the car was built as a demonstration vehicle to explore new technologies, said Riley Nelson, NASCAR head of sustainability.
The brand-less EV, developed in collaboration with its three auto manufacturing partners Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota and built by NASCAR engineers, stands in stark contrast to the loud, exhaust-spewing muscle cars for which the iconic car racing body is widely known.
But the track-tested EV is every bit racecar as its three electric motors are capable of producing 1,000 kW at peak power, NASCAR said, equivalent to around 1,340 horsepower or twice the horsepower churned out by its current Next Gen internal combustion engines.
The crossover-bodied car, which debuted at NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race on Saturday, featured sustainable materials in place of traditional carbon fibre bodywork. The flax-based composite cuts CO2 emissions by up to 85%, according to Swiss developer Bcomp.
NASCAR vowed last year to increasingly decarbonize its operations over the next decade with moves such as sourcing 100% renewable energy at its tracks and offices and expanding EV charging infrastructure around its facilities.
A partnership with ABB, which is already involved in the all-electric Formula E racing circuit, will support those goals, NASCAR said.
Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
“We are in the process of determining measurable KPIs (key performance indicators) around broader electrification initiatives,” Nelson said.
“ABB installing EV chargers across NASCAR’s enterprise is an essential part of how we decarbonize our operation.”
(Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
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