Nissan has unveiled the groundbreaking ZEOD RC – which claims to be the world's fastest electric racing car and is capable of reaching speeds of more than 186 mph.
The ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car) will make its race debut at next year's Le Mans 24 Hour. The car will begin the race from an additional spot on the grid for vehicles that showcase new and innovative technology.
Launched in 2010, the Nissan Leaf has become the world's best-selling all-electric car. Nissan launched the Nissan Leaf RC in 2011 – a race car prototype powered by the same 107-hp electric motor that is used in the road car.
While current battery technology does not provide the energy storage capacity to race a solely electric Le Mans prototype, Nissan ZEOD RC designer Ben Bowlby believes the development of the car will be an important step in the "electrification" of the race cars of the future.
"Developing a car like this provides an incredibly challenging test bed for what could be highly-effective options for road cars of the future. Throughout the next twelve months we will be testing multiple drive train options in an extensive test program," Bowlby said.
"Nissan is a leader in electric vehicle technology for the road, now we want to take those lessons learnt and utilise that knowledge base in the development of the new race car.
"Our design team on the Nissan ZEOD RC program has concentrated heavily on packaging and aerodynamic efficiency that will not only provide extreme performance but high levels of energy efficiency – the goal for all global automakers.
Nissan will partner with French tyre manufacturer Michelin to produce tyres for the new prototype, after having previously joined forces with Michelin on the Nissan DeltaWing program. Michelin has an enviable record at the Le Mans 24 Hour, winning the past 15 consecutive races overall.
The Nissan ZEOD RC will make its testing debut later this summer. Nissan's assault on the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hour will again target victory in the P2 class with 15 of the 22 entries powered by Nissan. It will be interesting to see if Nissan can make as large a mark on the racing scene as the Nissan LEAF has made on road cars.