NASCAR is the most popular racing series in the United States, but one of the most conservative in terms of technology. But this does not mean that NASCAR is totally resistant to change. The series could adopt a hybrid powertrain in 2022, said in an interview with TechCrunch.
"We're pushing for full hybridization," said John Probst, senior vice president of racing development at NASCAR. "I don't know if we can balance in the long run, but since 2021 some form of hybrid technology is definitely on our radar."
A spokesman for NASCAR told Tech Crunch that "nothing was confirmed" until the car actually reached the track, but "hybrid technology could certainly be in our car by 2022 if all the plans went well."
Probst is expected to be able to add power using electricity instead of using electrical boost only for fuel efficiency, according to TechCrunch. He pointed out that hybrid powertrains can be used initially on shorter elliptic tracks as well as on more technical road courses, rather than on the larger ellipses that host NASCAR's tent events.
NASCAR is another racing series style itself as a test bed for future technology, but a very specific kind of spectacle. The series is about cars built with big V8, oval tracks and unusual templates rather than the latest ones. It's hard to get convincing teams and fans to make a difference.
The three car manufacturers currently participating in NASCAR, including Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota, all have considerable experience with hybrids. This experience speeds up the development of NASCAR hybrid power trains, enabling manufacturers to achieve their 2022 goals.
NASCAR racers have little in common with road cars, so this race hybrid technology is unlikely to make a car that people can actually buy. But will provide valuable marketing opportunities. Toyota is racing a Camry brand car on NASCAR, and the street version of Camry is already available as a hybrid. Ford's NASCAR racer is a Mustang, and the car will soon get a hybrid powertrain.
NASCAR is not the only race series that is green. IndyCar plans to launch its first hybrid powertrain in 2022. The Formula One team began using hybrid technology in 2009 and mandated a hybrid power train in the 2014 season. While the 24-hour Le Mans hybrid has shown the highest level of hybrids since 2012, the F1 hybrid has been criticized for weakening competition between the two series due to noise and high cost.
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