NASCAR debuted what it claims is the future of racing, its electric ABB NASCAR EV Prototype, at the Chicago Street Race event on Saturday, but fans were not impressed.
The vehicle was developed in partnership with Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, and electric vehicle (EV) developer ABB, all in an effort to reach NASCAR’s “sustainability” goals. One of those goals is to reach “net-zero” operating emissions in the next ten years, the racing organization said in its press release:
While NASCAR is committed to the historic role of the combustion engine in racing, it is also committed to decarbonizing its operations and reducing its own carbon footprint to zero across its core operations by 2035 through electrification and innovative solutions.
“There could not be a more optimal moment in time to announce our first Impact partner than in tandem with the debut of the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype at the Chicago Street Race,” said NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer Eric Nyquist. “ABB is an industry leader and will help in efforts to decarbonize our operations as we pursue achieving net-zero operating emissions over the next decade.”
NASCAR added:
The All-Wheel Drive car has a generic Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) body made of sustainable flax-based composite. It shares many similarities with both the Next Gen and Garage 56 cars – the body sits on a modified Next Gen chassis, and the steering, suspension, brakes, and wheels all derive from the NASCAR Cup Series car.
Many fans, though, were not all that interested in NASCAR going electric and did not support the organization’s X post announcing the prototype racer.
“The day this hits the track I’m done,” one X user said in disgust.
Another user warned NASCAR that going woke will mean going broke.
Many others piled on:
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