Part of the experience of a NASCAR race is hearing the engine roar, the rumble of each car’s approach and the zip of it whizzing past at more than 150 mph.
Unlike typical sports coupes, the new car is actually a crossover utility vehicle. A huge wing on the back makes it aerodynamic enough to be a racecar. Burning gas pollutes the air and produces carbon dioxide, which warms the atmosphere and leads to more extreme weather. Burning one gallon produces about 19 pounds of carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Racing events consume thousands of gallons in a weekend.
NASCAR is not the first motorsports organization to get into electric car racing. Formula E is an all-electric racing series that started a decade ago. But its fan base is far smaller than NASCAR’s. That’s why the number 35 appears on the black, white and red car, along with ABB. The auto body is made from plant-based materials, a flax-based composite by the Swiss company Bcomp, rather than the typical carbon fiber composite.