Honestly, if you told a die-hard NASCAR fan ten years ago that a crossover SUV with no tailpipe would be ripping laps at Martinsville, they’d have probably laughed you out of the infield. But here we are. The NASCAR electric race car—officially known as the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype—is a real, breathing (well, humming) piece of machinery that exists. It isn't just a science project; it’s a 1,300-plus horsepower monster that can accelerate twice as fast as the V8 cars we watch every Sunday.
Last year, during the Chicago Street Race, NASCAR finally pulled the cover off this thing. It was a weird moment. You had the typical roar of the Cup cars echoing off the skyscrapers, and then this silent, white-and-blue crossover comes gliding out.
It looks like a SUV. Specifically, it uses a generic "Crossover Utility Vehicle" body style made of sustainable flax-based composite. Why a crossover? Because that’s what people actually buy now. Toyota, Ford, and Chevy all helped build it, and they wanted it to look like the bZ4X, the Mustang Mach-E, or the Blazer EV.
What is actually under the hood?
There isn't a hood in the traditional sense, obviously. No 358-cubic-inch V8. Instead, this beast is powered by three STARD UHP six-phase electric motors. One sits up front and two are in the back.
This setup gives it all-wheel drive, which is a massive departure from the rear-wheel-drive tradition of stock car racing. Total output? About 1,000 kW. For those of us who speak in car terms, that is roughly 1,341 horsepower. To put that in perspective, a current Next Gen Cup car is restricted to about 670 horsepower at most tracks. This electric prototype literally has double the power.
The battery is a 78-kWh liquid-cooled pack. It’s heavy. The car weighs around 4,000 lbs, which is about 500 lbs more than the cars Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott drive. But here’s the clever bit: NASCAR engineers mounted the battery on the right side of the floorboard. Because most NASCAR racing happens on ovals where you only turn left, that offset weight actually helps the car’s balance, similar to how they lead-weight the current cars.
David Ragan, who’s been the primary test driver for the project, took it for a spin at Martinsville. He managed to get about 50 laps on a single charge.
Why the NASCAR electric race car matters right now
Look, nobody is saying the Daytona 500 is going silent next year. NASCAR executives, including Senior VP John Probst, have been very vocal about "committing to the historic role of the internal combustion engine." They know the fans live for the noise.
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But there’s a massive "but" here.
NASCAR has a goal to reach net-zero operating emissions by 2035. They want their tracks to run on 100% renewable energy by 2028. You can’t really claim to be a "green" company while completely ignoring the biggest shift in automotive history.
This car is a "rolling lab."
It’s where they test things like regenerative braking. On a short track or a road course, the car can actually pump energy back into the battery every time the driver hits the brakes. It’s also incredibly tunable. In a traditional car, if you want to change the power delivery, you’re swapping gears or messing with engine maps. In this EV, you can literally push a button. There is even a "burnout button" designed specifically to make the tires smoke for the fans, because, well, an EV burnout is otherwise a bit too polite.
The sound (or lack thereof) problem
Denny Hamlin recently talked about this on a podcast, and he wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows about it. He pointed out that fans go to races for the "sensory experience." The smell of Sunoco racing fuel. The vibration in your chest when 40 cars take the green flag.
When the electric prototype runs, you hear:
- The whine of the straight-cut gears.
- The screech of the Goodyear Eagles.
- The wind rushing over the flax-fiber body.
It’s a different vibe. It sounds more like a spaceship than a stock car. For some, that’s cool. For the guy who has been camping at Talladega for 30 years? It’s a tough sell.
Is an electric series actually coming?
Most insiders think we won't see an "Electric Cup Series." Instead, what’s more likely is an exhibition series. Imagine a six-race "EV Dash" held on Saturday afternoons before the main event. Short, high-intensity sprints where that 1,300 horsepower can really be uncorked without worrying about the battery dying after 60 miles.
There is also the "Hybrid" factor.
For 2026, rumors are swirling about a new ECU (Engine Control Unit) from McLaren that could handle hybrid integration. This would be a middle ground. Keep the V8 roar, but add an electric motor for a "push-to-pass" boost. This is what IndyCar and Formula 1 already do. It satisfies the manufacturers who want to market "electrified" tech while keeping the fans from rioting over the loss of the noise.
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Technical Breakdown: EV vs. Next Gen
| Feature | Next Gen Cup Car | NASCAR EV Prototype |
|---|---|---|
| Engine/Motor | 5.8L V8 | 3 STARD Electric Motors |
| Horsepower | ~670 hp | ~1,341 hp |
| Drivetrain | Rear-Wheel Drive | All-Wheel Drive |
| Weight | ~3,485 lbs | ~4,000 lbs |
| Brakes | Standard Hydraulic | Hydraulic + Regenerative |
| Fuel/Energy | E15 Gasoline | 78-kWh Battery |
What happens next?
NASCAR is currently in the "education phase." They are bringing the car to tracks like Daytona and Portland just to let people see it. They want to see how the chargers hold up in a dusty, hot garage environment. They want to see if the Goodyear tires—which have to be specially designed to handle the instant torque of an electric motor—actually last more than ten laps.
If you're a fan, don't panic. Your V8s aren't going anywhere yet. But don't be surprised if the next time you're at the track, you see a crossover silently doing 150 mph. It’s fast, it’s weird, and honestly, it’s kind of impressive.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the 2026 technical regulations. If NASCAR announces a move to the McLaren TAG-510 ECU, that’s the smoking gun that hybrid power is officially on the way. Also, if you’re heading to a race this season, check the fan zone schedule; NASCAR often displays the EV prototype there, and seeing the carbon-fiber-reinforced battery casing in person gives you a real sense of how much engineering went into making an EV survive a "wall slap" at Bristol.