“If you look out across the landscape, one thing that’s for certain is that change is accelerating all around us,” NASCAR senior Vice President, John Probst said in 2024 while unveiling the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype. But is this change vested at transforming the entire structure of NASCAR and completely replacing the engines that are the roots of NASCAR?
The prototype vehicle was developed in collaboration with Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota along with NASCAR engineers who were behind the Next Gen car. Since then, debates have surged over a potential shift to electric vehicles and the future of NASCAR. However, insider Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made his stance clear on the electric revolution and its possible impact.
Shifting to electric alternatives might be momentary
Many believed electric engines were a distant future for NASCAR, but the sport is proving to be far more proactive with these latest developments. The Chevy Blazer EV will make history as the first electric vehicle to pace the Daytona 500 at its 67th running. This marks Chevy’s 16th time providing the pace car. Leading the field will be the high-performance Blazer EV SS, boasting 615 horsepower and a blistering 0-60 mph time of just 3.4 seconds. This has posed serious questions in the minds of NASCAR fans if there will be an electric engine takeover very soon.
Answering the same, Dale Earnhardt Jr in an episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast has shared his take. He said, “I don’t think they’ll ever go fully electric at the Cup level. I think there will always be a combustible engine or some type of motor similar to what we have today. But they may shift toward a hybrid. When they designed the Next Gen car, it was built to be adaptable for that direction if needed……Not trying to start any rumors, but there could even be a completely new all-electric series. They already have that prototype.”
Earnhardt Jr’s proposition could have some validity, given that Formula One already has its very own electronic racing series. Formula E, officially the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, is the premier open-wheel racing series for electric cars. Launched in 2014 with its first race in Beijing, it became an FIA World Championship in 2020.
However, NASCAR fans are territorial, and shifting from the traditional engines could unleash major backlash. The thunderous roar of combustion engines is a key part of the sport’s adrenaline rush, and the silence of electric motors simply doesn’t deliver the same exhilarating experience.
NASCAR has got quite some support from the OEMs who have been proactively involved in the developmental phase. Not only Chevrolet but even Ford has its electric prototype. It has unveiled a cutting-edge electric NASCAR blueprint inspired by the Mustang Mach-E crossover. This high-performance concept boasts carbon-fiber body panels and shares key components such as suspension, brakes, steering rack, and wheels which are similar to Ford’s current NASCAR Cup car.
Alongside this reveal, Ford has also introduced a Mach-E-based EV demonstrator, set to take on the legendary 2025 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, showcasing its commitment to pushing the limits of electric performance on the track. As NASCAR navigates this electrified future, the real question isn’t if electric technology will play a role—but how much of the sport’s soul it will take with it.
Earnhardt Jr opens up on the possibilities of a new OEM
For the longest time, NASCAR has been operational based on only three OEMs – Toyota, Chevrolet, and Ford. However, the pressure has been mounting on these three OEMs and the community feels that it is high time for NASCAR to bring in another name. There has been quite a bit of discussion on how Honda was a probable fourth OEM. But, currently, there is no official news on whether the news is confirmed.
Speaking of the ambiguous situation, Dale Earnhardt Jr said, “Steve Phelps made a few comments. He reiterated comment that he’s made multiple times that there are OEMs interested in coming into the sport. This time he added, this is no bullsh*t. I was like, alright, you know what? I believe he’s telling the truth. I guess the main bother, the main concern for me or the main worry is like, what are we willing to do to get to get them in. Oh man, I’m not gonna like any of it. Is it hybrid engines? Is it less horsepower?”
A fourth OEM making its way to NASCAR would pose some other questions too. Which are the teams that are willing to come under its banner? Or will the OEM launch new teams who will challenge the pre-existing kings of the sport? Well, answers to all of these questions await the test of time.
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