ABB and NASCAR EV prototype in Chicago Street Race

The ABB NASCAR Electrification Innovation Partnership will explore high-performance electric racing and create strategic opportunities for electrification in the sport, including race vehicles, electrification infrastructure, and energy education.

So says ABB which becomes a founding partner of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing’s NASCAR IMPACT, a platform driving sustainability initiatives across the sport and which supports NASCAR’s plan to reduce its carbon operating footprint to zero by 2035.

ABB serves as a key strategic technology and sustainability partner as NASCAR evolves its office, track, racing competition, and long-haul transportation operations.

In the US, ABB and NASCAR have announced the ABB NASCAR Electrification Innovation Partnership and revealed a new EV prototype at the 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race (July 1-7).

“ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, and we help customers globally to optimise, electrify and decarbonise their operations,” says ABB executive vice president Ralph Donati.

“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.”

As part of the partnership, ABB in the US will also help NASCAR achieve public sustainability targets around electrification and EV charging, says ABB.

“There could not be a more optimal moment in time to announce our first IMPACT partner than in tandem with the debut of our prototype electric vehicle at the Chicago Street Race,” says NASCAR senior vice president and chief IMPACT officer Eric Nyquist.

The ABB NASCAR EV prototype comes from the NASCAR Research and Development Centre team, which recently completed the largest overhaul of the NASCAR Cup Series car in NASCAR’s 75-year history.

The Next Gen car, which debuted in 2022, put the ‘stock’ back in stock car, modernising most of the vehicle’s components, says ABB.

“It also marked NASCAR’s rededication to product relevance in ensuring its race cars match production cars on the street as much as possible.”

The EV prototype was developed in collaboration with NASCAR’s OEM partners -Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota – and was built by the NASCAR engineers responsible for the Next Gen car and the Garage 56 entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The track-tested, electrified stock car has three STARD UHP 6-Phase motors (one front, two rear) supplying power directly to all four specially designed Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres.

Anchored by a 78kWh liquid-cooled battery, the tuneable powertrain can produce 1000kW power, while regenerative braking helps make the car ideal for road courses and short oval tracks, says ABB.

The all-wheel drive (AWD) car has a generic crossover utility vehicle (CUV) body comprising sustainable flax-based composite.

The body sits on a modified Next Gen chassis, and the steering, suspension, brakes, and wheels all derive from the NASCAR Cup Series car, says ABB.

NASCAR is moving operations from scope 1 (fuel burned) to scope 2 (electric).

It also aims to source 100% renewable electricity at owned racetracks and facilities by 2028, expand waste diversion efforts and on-site EV charging stations.

ABB says it will play a critical role in helping NASCAR by providing guidance, equipment, and support in electrifying key elements of the operational business.

At a global level, ABB has been the title partner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since 2018 – the world’s first all-electric, single-seater race series is a testbed for innovative technologies.

Click here for more NASCAR information.