NASCAR Unveils BEV Prototype Featuring Natural Fibre Bodywork

FRIBOURG, SWITZERLAND, July 8, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NASCAR debuted a first ever version of its all-new battery electric vehicle (BEV) prototype at this past weekend’s Chicago Street Race at Grant Park, Chicago Illinois, featuring innovative, sustainable bodywork made from flax.

NASCAR’s innovative BEV prototype is the first major US motorsports project to incorporate flax-based composites which were developed by Swiss lightweighting specialists Bcomp. The high-performance bodywork uses Bcomp’s ampliTex™ technical fabrics in conjunction with powerRibs™, which were first inspired by the vein structure of leaves, to harness the natural advantages of flax fibre, a sustainable material.

This is a step towards implementing more sustainable measures into NASCAR competition vehicles. Under the NASCAR IMPACT umbrella, in April 2023 NASCAR committed to achieving net zero operating emissions by 2035 and set a series of five-year sustainability targets, including sourcing 100% renewable electricity at all owned tracks and offices and expanding EV charging infrastructure across the company’s facilities.

Bcomp’s composites offer a sustainable alternative to traditional carbon fibre, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 85% at similar stiffness, and improve safety in motorsports thanks to a breaking behaviour without sharp shattering, a safety aspect that is especially relevant in bumper-to-bumper racing.

"Integrating sustainable innovations into the design process helps set the standard for sustainability across our industry and supports forward progress towards the company’s sustainability goals and targets,” said Vice President of Vehicle Design, Brandon Thomas.

Johann Wacht, Key Account Manager Automotive & Motorsports at Bcomp, said: “We are thrilled to be entering this important phase with NASCAR with whom we have a strong shared vision for sustainability. This collaboration is Bcomp’s first major US motorsport project, and we are excited to demonstrate together with the NASCAR IMPACT team how racing can pave the way for sustainable innovations, enabling benefits for wider society further down the road.”

Larry Perko, Bcomp US Motorsports Business Development (North America), said: “Building on our global leadership in high-performance composites, we are excited to introduce our Race to Road strategy to the US, ushering in a new era for American motorsports. Our commitment to innovation and sustainability empowers forward-thinking American companies like NASCAR to achieve new heights in efficiency and environmental responsibility. We go beyond just advancing motorsports; we're setting a new standard for performance materials across industries, paving the way for a more environmentally conscious and competitive future where businesses can flourish with high-performing, sustainable solutions.”

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About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA^®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

About Bcomp
Bcomp is a Swiss cleantech company and global leader in sustainable lightweighting solutions, also recognised as a Global Cleantech 100 company. Its proprietary natural fibre-based reinforcement materials — ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ — help decarbonise manufacturing and reduce environmental impacts in a wide range of high-performance applications. These include motorsports, automotive interiors, mass transportation, recreational equipment, consumer goods and the aerospace industry. Bcomp’s team offers global engineering support and guidance from concept through to industrial manufacturing out of its Fribourg headquarters in Switzerland and an office in Shanghai, China. For more information: www.bcomp.com

Additional information about Flax
Flax is an indigenous plant that requires very little water and nutrients to grow. It also acts as a rotational crop, and neither cultivation nor processing of the flax plants requires any chemicals that could contaminate ground water and harvesting is a completely mechanical process. After harvesting the entire flax plant can be used for feed, to make oil and its fibres are especially used for home textiles and clothing. The long fibre that comes from the flax plant possesses very good mechanical properties and outstanding damping properties in relation to its density, making it especially suited as a natural fibre reinforcement.

Kate Macdonell
HKA, Inc. Marketing Communications
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