Big change coming to NASCAR next year in its form The next generation car.
The all-new design tested at the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval this week features a composite body, independent rear suspension, larger brakes, larger wheels and tires, and a five-speed sequential transmission, among other updates.
It is a technological leap on many fronts compared to the current cup chain The car, but it still gets all its power from a big petrol V8…for now.
NASCAR had previously suggested that a hybrid powertrain could be on the way, and now we know when it might arrive.
Fox Sports Correspondent Bob Pokras NASCAR President Steve Phelps reportedly told the SportsBusiness Journal World Congress of Sports on Tuesday that the cars are “likely” to get a hybrid drive in 2024.
NASCAR previously revealed that The next generation car was installed in the future For such a move, which would likely include adding an electric motor to the transmission, which would be used to add power in coordination with the V8 under acceleration and provide regenerative braking that would charge a small battery to power it.
The setup would be very useful on short tracks and road courses and might not even be suitable for high speed, as cars could run without it, but since it is still in development there is no indication what the final design will look like.
Meanwhile, the next generation cars are set to race for the first time on a temporary circuit built inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Clash Show event in February before making its competitive debut at the Daytona 500 later in the month.