NASCAR’s proposed electrical race automotive goals to be sustainable in additional methods than simply its powertrain.
The prototype electrical race automotive, which was first proven in July, contains a physique created from natural-fiber-reinforced plastic that makes use of flax fibers in its development.
The corporate accountable for the physique is Switzerland’s Bcomp, which has launched photographs of the prototype with its physique left naked.
Bcomp focuses on sustainable light-weight supplies based on flax, a plant that requires little or no water and vitamins to develop and whose fibers will be collected with out the usage of chemical compounds.
NASCAR electrical race automotive prototype
NASCAR electrical race automotive prototype
Bcomp already provides its merchandise each in and outdoors the auto trade. Porsche was an early adopter of Bcomp’s natural-fiber-reinforced plastic, having used it since 2019 on a few of its race automobiles, together with the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR.
For NASCAR’s prototype electrical race automotive, the physique is wrapped round a modified Subsequent Gen chassis, with steering, suspension, wheels, and brakes all derived from the present NASCAR Cup Collection automotive.
The powertrain consists of a 78-kwh battery feeding a trio of electrical motors delivering a mixed 1,341 hp. Whereas such a configuration would not final the size of a traditional race, a singular format utilizing shorter observe and races lasting 30-35 minutes could be doable, in keeping with Pat DiMarco, Ford Efficiency’s supervisor of NASCAR and analytics.
NASCAR has solely constructed the one prototype, and for now there are not any stable plans to launch an electrical sequence. Nonetheless, there are experiences a NASCAR electrical sequence is already within the planning levels, although the launch could also be a while away. NASCAR mentioned its prototype solely serves to offer a glimpse of what is doable “years down the highway.”
