NASCAR unveiled its prototype electric race car over the weekend, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to reduce emissions and increase electrification in the sport.
The “ABB NASCAR EV Prototype” was created in NASCAR’s partnership with Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota and electrification company ABB to further the racing company’s sustainability goals, including reaching net-zero operating emissions over the next 10 years, NASCAR said in a release.
The reveal of the $1.5 million prototype took place in downtown Chicago on Saturday, a day ahead of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race.
“The objective of the collaboration between NASCAR, ABB in the United States and the NASCAR industry is to push the boundaries of electrification technology, from EV racing to long-haul transportation to facility operations,” Ralph Donati, ABB’s executive vice president, said in a statement.
NASCAR noted that while it remains “committed” to the legacy role of the internal combustion engine in racing, it is also focused on decarbonizing its operations and reducing its carbon footprint to zero by 2035.
The company wants to depict electric vehicles, and more broadly electrification, in racing as cool, fun and accessible, Riley Nelson, NASCAR’s head of sustainability, told The Associated Press.