While NASCAR isn’t flipping the switch to electric racing just yet, it’s certainly dipping its toes into the EV pool, testing the limits of innovation without compromising the soul of stock car tradition.
Advertisement
Despite making its second public stride with the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype in Chicago, skepticism among fans remains high, as the sport continues to navigate the long road toward electrification.
Driven by its NASCAR IMPACT sustainability platform, the sport has charted a course to achieve net-zero operating emissions by 2035. That mission has already seen boots hit the ground, from operational reforms to bold technology showcases.
The electric revolution began to take visible shape during last year’s Chicago Street Race when NASCAR first pulled the covers off the ABB EV Prototype. The momentum carried into 2025, where the Daytona 500 featured the series’ first-ever all-electric ABB prototype pace car, a moment signaling a shift in NASCAR’s trajectory.
But from the jump, fans haven’t exactly rolled out the welcome mat. Since photos of the prototype first leaked in 2023, public opinion has been a mixed bag of intrigue and outright rejection.
That reaction only intensified after Bob Pockrass posted footage of a 20-minute demonstration session in Chicago on Saturday, where David Ragan piloted the Ford EV, Rajah Caruth commanded the Chevrolet version, and Brent Crews took the wheel of NASCAR’s original electric build, one unaffiliated with Toyota.
The demonstration ran ahead of the Xfinity and Cup Series events, looping around the 2.14-mile, 12-turn course through the Windy City. But for many fans, it was a hard sell.
“Call me when they can go 500 miles,” one fan scoffed. Another cut straight to the point: “Nobody and I mean NOBODY, is asking for this.” A third didn’t pull punches, writing, “Another reason to quit watching Nascar, one gimmick after another.” One poked fun at the sound of EV saying, “Sounds like vacuum cleaner racing.”
One of the laps during the EV practice for exhibition laps tomorrow at Chicago. David Ragan in the Ford, Rajah Caruth in the Chevy and Brent Crews in the NASCAR prototype. pic.twitter.com/XP4A2RzFh3
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 5, 2025
NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell had previously made it clear the series is serious about exploring the frontier of electrification. Speaking earlier this year, he said he’d like to see the EV hit the track more often, even pushing performance boundaries and chasing speed records. He credited NASCAR’s R&D team for blazing the trail and building a platform that could carry the future of the sport.
According to previously released specs, the ABB EV Prototype produces 1,300 horsepower, nearly double the output of a standard Cup Series machine, and launches off the line faster than any gas-powered stock car.
But in testing at Martinsville Speedway last year, it came up two-tenths shy of current lap times, its acceleration dulled by the bulk of its battery pack. For now, the EV platform remains a science project in motion. And while NASCAR is intent on steering into the future, the grandstands are still clinging to tradition with both hands.
