Joe Gibbs Racing has just turned heads for a unique reason. The championship-winning NASCAR organization has shown off an electric Next Gen car used solely for pit stop practice.
Joe Gibbs Racing provided a quick look at the vehicle on December 12. A black and red Toyota Camry TRD rolled to a stop in the area where the crews practice their pit stops. The only sound heard was the squeal of the tires. The video also showed off the battery pack before providing more glimpses of the stock car sliding to a stop.
It’s electric ⚡️
A look at the electric car that our pit crews are going to practice pit stops with here at the shop.
As expected, the reveal of the electric car provided no shortage of reactions. There were some very angry comments on Twitter from those that don’t want to see electric vehicles. There were also a large number of positive comments from those that want to see this become the future of the sport.
One person, however, took a different approach. They saw the reactions from both sides and simply pointed out that this is a car used for pit stops. This particular Twitter user noted that JGR wouldn’t have to worry about burning through gas in the practice car.
Electrification Remains a Possibility for the Future
GettyKurt Busch tests a Toyota Camry at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The Cup Series will not go electric in the immediate future. NASCAR isn’t swapping out major components during the 2023 season. Though there remains a possibility that some form of electrification will make its way into the sport in the future.
There has been some talk about a variety of paths for NASCAR. There were discussions about an electric exhibition series making its debut before the Busch Light Clash, as well as the potential for hybrid or fully-electric vehicles in a national series. Nothing has happened yet, but NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell has noted that there are things happening behind the scenes.
“I think we’re taking a really holistic approach across all of our series,” O’Donnell told media members in November. “It’s not just electrification. We are still moving forward with our existing OEMs to look at putting a car together. How does that look, what is the entertainment value around that, what’s the raceability? Those plans are moving forward.
“You also have to look at fuels in the future. How is that going to affect things? You’ve got hydrogen, all kinds of things to look at. The good news for NASCAR is we’re positioned really, really well across all three of our national series platforms. You also have IMSA.
“The ideal world for NASCAR is you can show up at a racetrack and you can see any form of motorsports you want, any type of power, electric, hydrogen. You want to see some loud engines going out there, that’s NASCAR, too.”
The Focus Remains on Other Important Conversations
O’Donnell added that the main focus is putting on entertaining races for the fans. He also said that there would be more news, most likely in 2023, as NASCAR aims for its target date of 2024.
For now, the sanctioning body will focus on other important factors. Chief among them is improving the safety of the Next Gen car in order to prevent other drivers from missing multiple races due to a concussion.
The other focus is improving the racing at short tracks and road courses. NASCAR and its drivers have expressed satisfaction with the intermediate tracks, but they have also pointed out the shortcomings of the other styles.
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Joe Gibbs Racing Shows Off Electric Next Gen Camry