Nissan unveiled the ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car) electric racing car today. Capable of speeds in excess of 300km/h, the prototype will compete in the special ‘Garage 56’ class at the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hour race.
Run as a Nissan/Nismo factory international program with input from Japan, Europe and the US, the Nissan ZEOD RC design team is headed by Ben Bowlby, who has been newly-appointed as Nissan’s Director of Motorsport Innovation and previously worked on the Nissan DeltaWing program in 2012.
“Our design team on the Nissan ZEOD RC program has concentrated heavily on packaging and aerodynamic efficiency,” said Bowlby. “That will not only provide extreme performance but high levels of energy efficiency – the goal for all global automakers.”
While current battery technology does not provide the energy storage capacity to race a solely electric Le Mans prototype, Bowlby believes the development of the car will be an important step in the “electrification” of the racecars 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 12 months we will be testing multiple drive train options in an extensive test program,” Bowlby said.
“We have many options to consider and test. The test program is part of a longer term goal of developing a system and a set of rules for this type of technology in partnership with the ACO that would be best suited to competing at the highest level of this sport.”
We look forward to seeing the innovative, technically advanced vehicle on the Circuit de la Sarthe next year.
