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Kevin Harvick Says There’s No Place In Racing For NASCAR EV: Video

Say what you want about the NASCAR EV crossover prototype unveiled last weekend, but it’s certainly sparked a conversation around the sport’s future. Kevin Harvick, former Cup Series driver and current commentator, weighed in on the news on his podcast – and he thinks the EV project is going to go the wayside as ICE reigns supreme.

Taking the mic in Episode 41 of the Happy Hour podcast, Harvick discussed the NASCAR EV prototype. He says that he thinks politics are at the heart of the sport’s decision to develop an electric race car, and that pressure from the manufacturers – Ford, Chevy, and Toyota – prompted NASCAR to accelerate the program. In short, Harvick thinks that the EV project was developed for optics more than anything.

Side view of the NASCAR EV prototype, which has no future according to Kevin Harvick.

The NASCAR EV project surfaced at the height of the EV craze, but now that demand for them has cooled, Harvick says that the manufacturers aren’t prioritizing electrification of motorsports, yet NASCAR was so far along in the process that it decided to finish it anyway. He says the sport is “stuck” with a vehicle that the manufacturers aren’t interested in pursuing, and the fans won’t resonate with.

“There’s really nothing about a race car that doesn’t make noise that has any excitement for me,” Harvick says. “There is no future for NASCAR electric vehicle racing. If it does not make noise and smell like it’s burning gas, there is no freakin’ way.”

He acknowledges that NASCAR EV race car could draw attention overseas and attract foreign manufacturers (aside from Toyota) to consider competing in the sport, but he doesn’t see it being successful stateside, particularly where range is concerned.

“Anybody who thinks this would be a success, as far as how they race – it won’t go far on the ovals, first off,” he says. “On the road courses, it’s probably doable. That Formula E Series… who watches that? Nobody… If you can’t hear it, I don’t want to see it.”

Check out Kevin Harvick’s discussion about the NASCAR EV in the video below, starting around the 35-minute mark.

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Alexandra is a Colorado-based journalist with a passion for all things involving horsepower, be it automotive or equestrian.

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Comments

  1. Agreed, it’s just not the same.

    I will disagree with him about gasoline though. I think a low carbon or carbon free fuel alternative would be just fine. Also, I think there could be a case for hybrids in some applications.

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  2. Hell yeah brother! Harvick just got a new fan.

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  3. LOL, nobody watches Formula E. Hardly anyone in the US watches Formula 1.

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    1. HAHAHAHAH!!

      86 Million cumulative viewers tuned into Formula E races this year.

      Last year Nascar had 56 Million cumulative viewers.

      Reply
      1. “Cumulative viewers”, that’s cute.

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      2. Source: trust me bro

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      3. This man clearly has a little pp

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    2. F1 is like pro soccer: big everywhere except in the US.

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    3. Kevin Harvick for President!!!

      NASCAR had style in the ’50’s, ’60’s, ’70’s and early ’80’s. Now, not so much. The cars, the sound, the smell – miss ’em all. With EV’s you may smell burning rubber but who wants to watch Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota duke it out in America’s stock car racing venues? Please leave one American tradition alone ….

      Reply
      1. Yep, things started to change 1990s & really started picking up speed downhill early 2000s. Too much generic BS & changing things just to change things. Seems like F1 & Indy are also testing the hybrid/battery stuff to eventually be able to claim that they’re “carbon free or neutral”.

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  4. Oh yeah I totally go to nascar races for tire and gear noise /s

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    1. Also got motor whine, but I don’t care for noise… I care for driver skill.

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      1. That’s not the only thing whining…..

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  5. Fully agree.

    It’d be like the Kentucky Derby replacing the horses with mountain bikes.

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    1. Let wild bears chase the bikes and I’m in!

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    2. E-Bikes*

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  6. I haven’t always been a fan of ol’ Happy Harvick, but I agree wholeheartedly with what he’s said here. I could see NASCAR surviving while running generic, non-branded ICE-powered sedans over EV Toyotas, Fords and Chevys…

    Reply
  7. Has Harvick actually driven the new car?
    If he has not, then he’s not qualified to judge EV racing. All he knows is ICE racing and he had gripes about that also.
    An informed and balanced perspective would be more helpful.
    Formula E races have been very entertaining.

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    1. I didn’t see Harvick commenting on the desireability of driving an EV.
      Probably piloting one of them could be very exciting.
      But, watching the race is something else again. That was his point.

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      1. The crowd for Formula E races is very engaged and they get more and more people at every race.

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  8. EV hater, Harvick showed his true colors. Cannot “see” a future for anything other than ICE vehicles.

    Any respect I had for his opinions are now gone. No big loss.

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  9. Racing is racing – to genuine enthusiasts.

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  10. I agree with Mr. Harvick! If you want to race a ev go to a carnival!

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  11. It could be interesting. Adding 1000 lbs of battery on place a few hundred pounds of gas. Still run 500 miles, and make a pit stop change out a battery pack that they have to carry over the wall and hand install. Watch a Thermal Runaway in a damaged battery pack that melts the entire car, or if lucky enough happens on pit road and spreads. Have to change tires every 10 laps from the extra weight chewing them up.

    What’s not to love?

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    1. Watch Formula E… Nothing like that happens.

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  12. OK, nobody has mentioned it yet.
    Here goes—
    What happens when the EV’s crash into one another or the fence?
    Do they explode and burst into flames??

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    1. No they only roll over and shoot sparks at simple ha ha ha boy. He’s a simpleton with a short circuit in his pee brain.

      Reply
  13. Has Harvick accepted hydraulic brakes yet?

    Reply

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