"It’s just a big toy" - Dale Earnhardt Jr. comments on NASCAR's Electric Car demonstration

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his thoughts on the demonstration run of the new NASCAR electric vehicle prototype in downtown Chicago. NASCAR and its three manufacturers developed the ABB NASCAR EV in partnership with ABB, an automation and electrification company.

ABB was the first to join the NASCAR Impact initiative, intending to reduce the carbon footprints in the organization by 2035. Ahead of the Grant Park 165 race, the NASCAR electric vehicle for the first time ran a few laps on any road/street course.

In a recent post, Dale Jr. shared his thoughts on the EV and deemed it a slot or remote-controlled car. The 49-year-old also claimed it to be fun, if and when it hits the tracks. He said:

"I don’t really have a problem with this. Reminds me of those years messing with slot cars at Dave Maders. That was fun. Reminds me of the carpet RC cars I fooled with for years. That was fun. It’s just a big toy. Should be fun."

However, there aren't any plans to bring them to the NASCAR national series as yet. Moreover, many fans of the sport disapproved of the newly launched NASCAR EV.

Here's a look under the hood of the electric prototype:

NASCAR semi-retired driver David Ragan has been the sole professional racer involved in the testing of the EV during its development phase. The ABB NASCAR EV prototype has been under development for almost two years.

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NASCAR veteran shed light on the EV prototype's laps at Chicago Street Circuit

The ABB NASCAR EV prototype was developed by the engineers of NASCAR and its three OEM partners, Chevrolet, Toyota, and Ford. The all-wheel drive has similarities to that of the Next-Gen chassis.

The prototype has three STARD UHP 6-Phase motors, one in front and two in rear, giving a power of 1300 bhp. With regenerative braking, it is most suitable for the oval tracks and short road courses that involve a lot of braking.

Part-time Cup Series driver David Ragan has been involved in testing the electric vehicle on the tracks. During the Chicago race weekend, Ragan shared his point of view regarding the EV. He said:

"It turned well, it stops well, it accelerates well, and really it's got the same geometry suspension the steering components as the next-gen racecar...It turns and it kind of goes over the bumps very similar to what the next gen cars will today.

"But from an acceleration standpoint being an all-wheel drive racecar, I've never driven a car that has the acceleration that it has. It can change the torque from front to rear. It manages the wheel spin and there's a lot of adjustments that we really haven't even worked on yet."

Ragan, who competed in the 2024 Daytona 500 for RFK Racing, emphasized that the electric vehicle's acceleration "throws you back" in the seat, and believes it to be "fun".