Days of Thunder (and Lightning) – Chevrolet Blazer EV.R Prototype Aims to Electrify NASCAR

You might imagine stock car purists spitting out their Budweiser and roadkill BBQ at the thought. But this isn’t the first time EV propulsion and NASCAR have crossed paths – it’s actually the third. NASCAR themselves pioneered the idea in July 2024 with a prototype disguised as a generic crossover. Last month, Ford followed up with a Mustang Mach-E. And now it’s Chevy’s turn.

Given the NASCAR prototype was developed with input from Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet – and under the stringent rules of NASCAR – it’s no coincidence the trio are closely related. All three are Next Gen-based, adopt a tri-motor propulsion system – meaning programmable all-wheel drive – and draw power from a 78kWh liquid-cooled battery. Despite such similarities, the prototypes are a long way from forming a competitive field, with each at pains to point out they’re merely developmental studies.

Chevrolet claims a competitive endurance of 30–45 minutes “on a short oval track” – essentially one that would permit the use of regenerative braking. Engineers have already reliably run laps at race pace during testing at Carolina Motorsports Park – given the 1,300bhp output is nearly twice that of the 670bhp NASCARs currently develop, it’s difficult to refute the claim. Special Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres have been developed to help deploy the power. Chevrolet hasn’t disclosed weight figures, but it’s likely similar to the NASCAR concept’s 1,800kg.

Behind the wheel during testing was Justin Allgaier, Team Chevy driver and 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion. He has spoken of the steep learning curve involved in switching from a V8 to volts: “There are so many things you don’t think about until you’re in the car actually testing it.

“I’m used to knowing my speed through gearing and listening to engine revs, so I had to totally change how I judge corner entry speed. With this platform, we’re learning how to strategically adjust regenerative braking, which has a big impact on braking sections and cornering balance.”

The Blazer EV.R NASCAR Prototype is set to make a publicity debut at the Daytona 500 on 16 February. Whether fans are ready to embrace an EV-based future remains to be seen – but if Toyota follows suit with its own interpretation, talk of a potential series will only gather momentum. Scalextric would make an ideal sponsor.