NASCAR is working to reduce carbon emissions through sustainability program

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — NASCAR has created a new program to reduce its carbon footprint.

“NASCAR Impact is an umbrella platform that includes multiple initiatives including environmental sustainability, youth education, STEM education, military and veteran services, and volunteerism,” said the head of NASCAR Sustainability Riley Nelson.

One of the goals of NASCAR Impact is to reduce the sport’s carbon footprint to zero by 2035.

NASCAR released their ABB NASCAR EV Prototype over the summer at the Chicago Street Course race, more simply known as NASCAR’s version of an electric racecar. The sport teamed up with Global Electrification company, ABB, who is the first official partner of NASCAR IMPACT and the primary partner on the car. The car was designed and developed by NASCAR Research & Development along with our partners Ford, Chevy, Toyota, and Goodyear.

“NASCAR has always been at the forefront of innovation so electrification and electric vehicles are one part of how the auto industry is shifting. There is always an appetite to explore different types of alternative energies, and fuels, and this is one way that we are showing that there are other technologies that exist.”

There are no plans for an electric racing series anytime soon, however, NASCAR is making multiple changes to their operations behind the scenes to continue to reduce their carbon emissions.

The sport is introducing electric chargers to their facilities so that they can convert their fleet vehicles to electric. They have also been diverting some of the food waste from the landfill at their events. At the Chicago Street Course, NASCAR introduced reusable cups to avoid more waste.

Climate Matters Director Bernadette Woods Placky told Queen City News that NASCAR is working to reduce its carbon footprint.

“It will show that a leader in transportation can make this transition,” Placky said. “It would advance a lot of research and development that we see in transportation and cars.” Placky added that vehicles are the biggest source of carbon emissions in the United States.

While NASCAR will not be changing what you see on the racetrack on the weekend, many across North Carolina and South Carolina have made a switch to electric vehicles.

According to Climate Central electric vehicles lead the way for clean energy investments in North Carolina at 39%.

Heat pumps lead the way in South Carolina for clean energy investments. Electric vehicles are the second most clean energy investment in South Carolina.

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