This electric Toyota Camry is built for NASCAR, but not for racing

NASCAR is one of the most popular car racing series, especially in the US, where stock cars race against each other. While the series is dominated by internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, an all-electric car seems to be readying for its track debut in NASCAR. But this electric car will not be taking part in the actual race. Instead, it will be used for practising pit stops, claimed the manufacturing team Joe Gibbs Racing. However, it is safe to assume that the development of the electric car took place thinking that the racing series would eventually go all-electric in the coming years.

The racing team has shown its all-electric Toyota TRD Camry NASCAR on Twitter. It has also claimed that despite this going to be operated by a NASCAR team, the EV is not meant for racing. Instead, the team crew will be using this electric vehicle for practising pit stops.

It is strange to watch an all-electric silent car in the NASCAR arena, as the EV produces no sound other than the screeching of tyres during hard braking. While the top stock car racing series in the US is hard to imagine without the rumble of V8 engines, exhaust flames and smell of burnt petrol.

The racing team has also given us a peek at the electric car's charging cable and high-voltage battery pack installed on the floor in the area where the front passenger sits in a regular vehicle. The reason behind developing this electric car is convenience, claims Joe Gibbs Racing. Previously, the team used to train on a stock car that is similar to the Gen 6 models, which raced in the series for almost a decade. However, as NASCAR has moved to a much more sophisticated and expensive next-generation car in 2022, the racing team decided to make an all-electric stock car for its pit crew.

The manufacturer claims that this electric car comes with unique benefits. One of them is that making the EV is more affordable than a Gen 7 NASCAR model with a traditional ICE. Additionally, the EV comes as silent and with a green powertrain. The racing team's athletic director Matt Osborn has said to Road & Track that it was much cheaper to build the EV than a real NASCAR Gen 7 model for practising pit stops. Also, he hopes the EV will be more durable and cheaper to maintain in the long run.