The move to the Next Gen car brought changes in dimensions to make the cars appear more coupe-like, but the EV prototype alters this trend. While maintaining the width and wheelbase of the Next Gen car, the prototype is shorter in length at 185.5 inches and has a higher roof at 56 inches.
Swiss company Bcomp provided the flax-based composite bodywork using its PowerRibs skeletal structure and AmpliTex fabric. Although slightly heavier than carbon composite, Bcomp claims the organic composite reduces carbon emissions by 85%. The prototype weighs around 4,000 pounds, approximately 500 pounds more than a fuel-powered Cup car.
The prototype's powertrain was developed with ABB, featuring a 756-volt electrical architecture and a 78-kWh liquid-cooled battery positioned on the right side of the floor for similar handling dynamics to gas-powered cars. The powertrain includes three motors from Stard, each producing 447 horsepower, totaling 1,341 horsepower. This contrasts with the current Cup car's 90-degree, 5.9-liter pushrod V8, which has been limited to 670 hp, except at Daytona and Talladega where it's restricted to 510 hp.
Other mechanical components, like the rack and pinion steering, double wishbone suspension, and 18-inch wheels, are derived from Cup Series cars, with the addition of regenerative braking. NASCAR believes this makes the car ideal for road courses and short oval tracks. Test driver David Ragan noted that the car could complete about 50 laps of the half-mile Martinsville Speedway on a full charge.
Despite this development, there's no official timeline for a NASCAR EV series or demonstration. An executive mentioned it’s premature to speculate on an EV series, stating, "We've worked with our OEM partners to figure out what that would look like, but that's down the road."
Source: Autoblog