Chevrolet’s Blazer EV.R NASCAR Concept Makes 1,300 HP

Chevrolet is offering a peek at NASCAR’s future.

The Detroit automaker unveiled a new high-performance concept called the Blazer EV.R NASCAR in the lead-up to this year’s Daytona 500. The prototype, which bears more than a passing resemblance to a concept the motorsports organization showed off last year, features a tri-motor powertrain that makes over 1,300 hp.

Last year’s official NASCAR concept didn’t just veer from the norm by featuring an electric powertrain. It also was shaped like a crossover SUV, rather than the coupes the organization’s race cars have traditionally been based on (stock cars racing originally used production models, hence the name). Chevy’s prototype, along with a similar Ford Mustang Mach-E-based prototype unveiled last month, suggest the crossover body style could be about to become a lot more prominent in racing.

The latest concept is based on the new Blazer EV SS, the range-topping version of Chevy’s battery-powered crossover SUV. While the two vehicles share a general shape, the Blazer EV.R NASCAR, like today’s Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang-based Next Gen stock cars, has been given an aggressive makeover. The concept features a much more sculpted body and an aggressive aero kit that includes a heavily revised fascia, side skirts, and a giant rear wing.

The real story here, though, is the powertrain. The Blazer EV.R NASCAR, like the prototypes that preceded it, features three six-phase electric motors—one in the front, two in the back— that combine to pump out a ferocious 1,300 horses and redline at 15,000 rpm. That makes the concept close to twice as powerful as today’s V-8-powered Next Gen cars, which make 670 hp. It’s also more than double the power of the Blazer EV SS’s dual-motor setup, which makes 615 hp. Other mechanical features include the chassis and suspension from the Next Gen car and a 78-kWh liquid battery pack.

Don’t expect to see NASCAR go all-electric anytime soon, though. Chevy says that it plans to “race [its] proven and winning V8 technology in NASCAR for years to come.” Still, the debut of two EV concepts in quick succession suggests that battery-powered stock car racing could be here sooner than anyone expected.

Click here for more photos of the Chevrolet Blazer EV.R NASCAR concept.