Developed in collaboration with Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota, the 1,300bhp concept is not yet a competitive race car – but it may signal a shift in the sport’s long-term vision – and has already completed demonstration laps at the Chicago Street Course.

Built by the same engineers responsible for the Next Gen Cup car and the Garage 56 Le Mans project, the EV prototype serves as a testbed for alternative powertrains. According to NASCAR’s senior vice president of racing development, John Probst, there are currently no plans to introduce an electric series. However, he acknowledged that the sport's future remains open-ended, stating that he learned long ago to "never say ‘never’ or ‘always’."

While internal combustion engines remain at the heart of NASCAR, this latest development makes it clear that the organisation is actively exploring its options.

Adapting Next Gen to EV Power

The EV prototype retains the fundamental chassis of the Next Gen NASCAR but has been adapted to accommodate an electric powertrain. The battery is housed underneath the car, secured by a 26-bolt flange, while the upper section of the chassis has been raised by three inches to fit the taller crossover-style body.

With no fuel cell, the rear structure is now fully integrated. Additional pyramid braces reinforce both the front and rear, strengthening the chassis to support the electric motors.

Despite these modifications, much of the suspension setup remains unchanged. The control arms, dampers, and BBS wheels are carried over from the current Cup Series cars. The biggest difference? The front dampers now feature forked lower sections to accommodate driveshafts, since the prototype is all-wheel drive.

Goodyear has also developed a new, more sustainable tyre compound for the project, and the car is being used to evaluate a tyre-pressure monitoring system, which could eventually be introduced in the Cup Series.

1,300bhp – But Built for Short Races

Powering the prototype is a 78kWh liquid-cooled battery, which drives three STARD six-phase motors – one at the front and two at the rear. In qualifying trim, the car produces a peak output of 1,000kW (1,300bhp), though this is limited to 600kW (800bhp) in race mode. For reference, current cup cars develop in the region of 670bhp.

During testing at Martinsville Speedway, former Cup Series driver David Ragan completed over 60 laps, with engineers continuously fine-tuning power delivery and regenerative braking. The regenerative system makes the car particularly suited to road courses and short ovals, where braking zones allow energy to be recovered. However, running on larger superspeedways – such as Daytona, where sustained high speeds leave little opportunity for regeneration – remains unrealistic.

Ford Performance’s Pat DiMarco reinforced this point, explaining that NASCAR is not looking to introduce electric cars at its flagship events. "Do you want to go to the Daytona 500 with EVs? No," he said. "But can we go race for 30–45 minutes at a short track? Yeah. Nitro Rallycross and some of the World Rallycross stuff run short races to give people time to watch."

In other words, this prototype isn’t here to replace NASCAR’s V8 engines. Instead, it offers a potential road map for how alternative powertrains – including hybrid systems – could be integrated into the sport in the future.

A Crossover Body – The Future of Stock Car Racing?

Stock car racing has long been defined by saloons with race-ready silhouettes, but the EV prototype breaks that tradition with its taller, crossover-style bodywork. given the dominance of SUVs in today’s road car market, NASCAR is keen to see if the shape will resonate with fans

Understandably - given the multi-manufacturer input - the styling is deliberately neutral and generic. Despite its taller profile and raised ride-height, the bodywork is fully functional. It’s also constructed from flaxseed-based composite materials, aligning with NASCAR’s growing focus on sustainability. 

What’s Next?

NASCAR has no immediate plans to race the EV prototype, but it will make appearances at select events throughout the season. ABB, the project’s lead technology partner and a key engineering firm contributing to Formula E, has confirmed the car will feature in fan zones and perform demo runs on short tracks such as Bristol.

For now, this serves as an early indication of what may lie ahead. Whether fans are ready to embrace an electric stock car future remains to be seen – but if they are, NASCAR will already be off the starting grid.