At the second anniversary of the Chicago Street Race, NASCAR brought a ‘shocking’ surprise, quite literally. Faced with whispers of an electric series, the world’s premier stock car racing authority revealed its brand-new EV prototype in partnership with ABB. As per the Executive Vice President of ABB, Ralph Donati, they’re “a technology leader in electrification and automation,” who “help customers globally to optimize, electrify and decarbonize their operations.”

That last bit goes hand-in-hand with the ‘NASCAR Impact’ initiative which, most must know, is the sanctioning body’s long-term plan ‘to reduce its carbon footprint to zero across core operations by 2035.’ Hence, the big electric reveal on Saturday served as only a foot in the door of an emission-free future. But on the flip side of an experiment often lies double the scrutiny, sometimes even the fear of being left behind. And as NASCAR takes silent steps toward another rumored brand of competition, the aesthetics of its electric car have certainly left its diehards divided.

NASCAR unveils electric prototype at Chicago Street Race

The NASCAR EV program has been in the works for quite a while. Its most notable data point till now has arguably been the ‘hybrid’ Garage 56 project with Hendrick Motorsports that ran at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year. Therefore, it is not unsurprising to find out, that this prototype was built by the same engineers who worked on that Camaro ZL1. Reports also suggest that NASCAR’s OEM partners – Chevy, Ford & Toyota were all involved in conceptualizing this new EV.

Some must remember a scheduled showcase for this electric prototype before the Busch Light Clash earlier in February. However, weather delays through the weekend eventually resulted in it having to be scratched off the schedule altogether. But as NASCAR’s Chief IMPACT officer, Eric Nyquist, explained, “There could not be a more optimal moment in time to announce our first IMPACT partner than in tandem with the debut of the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype at the Chicago Street Race.” Formula E fans must be familiar with the ABB name. After all, the Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation has been the title sponsor of their series since 2018.

As for the NASCAR EV that they’ve helped to make a reality? It boasts a whopping 1,000 kilowatts of peak power, courtesy of three STARD UHP 6-Phase motors catering to all four, specially designed Goodyear tires. A 78-kWh liquid-cooled battery ensures enough juice to keep the party going, while regenerative braking converts kinetic energy back into usable power.

The chassis is a modified version of the Next Gen car, and familiar components like the steering, suspension, brakes, and wheels are all derived from current Cup Series vehicles. However, the body makes a radical switch. Instead of the aerodynamic ‘showroom’ design, this EV embraces a unique CUV body style. The body itself comprises a sustainable flax fiber composite. Albeit a prototype, if this version of the vehicle someday manages to make its way to the forefront of a potential EV NASCAR series, it will be a true first for the sport.

NASCAR’s electric prototype is a bit taller, standing at 56 inches compared to the current Cup car’s 50 inches. But an eye-catching massive wing that soars high above the roofline has been the most significant outlier for NASCAR fans on Twitter. Although, this sky-reaching spoiler is necessary to generate the downforce for a car 6 inches taller than its combustion counterparts, the Twitterverse hasn’t been kind towards what many consider an ‘oddity’ in the current NASCAR racing spectrum.

Dana White and the rumor mill

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After the EV reveal in Chicago, many fans were naturally drawn into the ‘gas vs electric’ debate. That is understandable, since in its 76-year rich history, NASCAR has primarily run cars on pushrod V8 combustion engines. And with UFC President Dana White’s admission of interest in a potential EV NASCAR series, a portion of the audience believes the sport is slowly giving up on its traditionalist values.

White had only sent the rumor mill into overdrive in June when he informed fans of a future meeting with higher-ups from the sanctioning body after the 4th of July.

NASCAR made its ‘electric’ announcement on July 6. So these developments coincidentally following Dana White’s speculative deadline at the Chicago have been a major point of contention between various groups inside the NASCAR community.

Fan uproar against an electric whine

When FOX journalist Bob Pockrass posted a video from his official Twitter/X handle, displaying the prototype EV in all its glory, some realistically accepted it as “the future,” claiming they were “here for it”. Critics, however, couldn’t stomach the bare aesthetics, with many loudly declaring, “That’s the ugliest car I’ve ever seen!“

One fan doubted the prospects for this design, posing an intricate question: “With that wing I’m assuming no ovals?” That inquiry is hardly hollow since even NASCAR admits that the regenerative braking switch is “ideal for road courses and short oval tracks.” But those doubts can only be clarified once an EV takes to the tracks, preferably in competition or exhibition.

On the ‘competition’ topic, the biggest rumored associates of a potential EV NASCAR Series have been Dana White & Travis Pastrana’s Nitrocross series. Thus, one fan asked: “Was @danawhite and @TravisPastrana there?” To pour water on any vague speculations stemming from that collaboration, an anecdote from a motorsport.com interview with NASCAR’s Chief Racing Development Officer, John Probst, suggested that NASCAR is “not sitting here saying we’re going to announce a series. That’s not what this is about.” In contrast, Probst also admitted“If you look out across the landscape, one thing that’s for certain is that change is accelerating all around us.”

Others were primarily incensed by the car’s unique design as a member of the NASCAR audience demanded to “Make it look like a stock car @NASCAR not some hot wheels arcade looking car,” while some directed their ‘disgust’ toward NASCAR’s newest electric allies ABB, like this fan who opined that “Instead of ABB (it) should be BAS(big a** spoiler)” But many were just downright appalled by the idea of an electric prototype when they wrote replies like, “I love how they make every EV really ugly.“

Nevertheless, based on the revelations of John Probst and other bearings within the NASCAR community, this fan makes a fantastic observation with an admirable warning: “There isn’t a new series, it’s just a development car that they’re showing off to get more exposure to the sport. Don’t freak out over an experimental box with wheels.”

If, in fact, NASCAR does pull out a blinder in the form of an electric series alongside Dana White & Travis Pastrana, it will most likely be another accompanying series to the top 3 National Touring divisions. Fans can also rest easy knowing the roar of the combustion engines isn’t going away anytime soon. But when does NASCAR’s electric future finally arrive? it would appear it is already here with NASCAR’s latest R&D reveal before the second annual Chicago Street Race.