Professional drifting is about to get a lot quieter as one team prepares to enter a battery-electric car into Formula D. Napolean Motorsports has revealed the first information surrounding its electric drift car, and it’s none other than a Chevrolet Camaro.
As a play on the Camaro 1LE, Napolean Motorsports calls its electric muscle car the Camaro EL1. “E” representing electric, of course. The finer details surrounding the build aren’t available yet, but electric cars absolutely seem to have a place in a motorsport that requires lots of sideways action. As we’re all aware, electric cars produce instant torque, which is the right effect when the driver needs to spin the tires.
The project also follows GM’s own electric car: the eCOPO Camaro. Chevrolet revealed the electric Camaro at last year’s SEMA show, and it’s already strutted its stuff on the drag strip to clock some impressive quarter-mile times. Let’s just say it’s in Dodge Challenger Demon territory without a drop of gasoline used.
Obviously, the company’s news that it’s preparing an electric Camaro comes with plenty of questions. Namely, how the driver will initiate a drift (since electric cars don’t include manual handbrakes or a clutch) and safety. Electric cars pose a far different safety risk, and Formula D has a far greater chance of becoming a contact sport than other racing disciplines.
Still, it’s exciting to see electric cars make their way into different disciplines. We’ll be looking for the Chevrolet Camaro EL1 on the track and we’ll surely bring you the latest on the project as we learn more.
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Source: Jalopnik
Comment
FYI, There is no reason why an EV can’t make use of a hand brake as indicated by the dual calipers at the 10 second mark.