NASCAR has made itself a rich legacy through the use of petrol-powered internal combustion engines for decades. But a shift in the world’s landscape of powertrains from a consumer and entertainment standpoint is now making its mark on what was once the fastest-growing sport in the United States.
Years past the era of Earnhardt, Gordon, Johnson, and numerous others, NASCAR is taking on a new challenge: dealing with the fact that electric powertrains are becoming more mainstream.
Not only are people buying EVs for environmental reasons, but they’re also high-powered and high-performance, something that race fans across the globe want.
Speed is the name of the game in NASCAR, just like any other racing promotion. However, NASCAR is looking to dip its toe in the development of battery electric vehicles (BEV), and it unveiled its first-ever prototype this weekend at the Chicago Street Race in Chicago, Illinois.
Developed by Swiss start-up Bcomp, the vehicle utilizes the company’s ampliTex™ technical fabrics in conjunction with powerRIBS™. These are inspired by the vein structure of leaves, which helps with strength and sustainability, which was a main focus of the vehicle’s body:
-
- Credit: NASCAR
The body of NASCAR’s first-ever BEV prototype uses flax-based composites to be environmentally friendly. It helps reduce CO2 emissions by 85 percent with similar stiffness and improved safety in motorsports thanks to a “breaking behavior” that avoids sharp shattering.
Bcomp’s Key Account Manager of Automotive and Motorsports, Johann Wacht, said:
“We are thrilled to be entering this important phase with NASCAR with whom we have a strong shared vision for sustainability. This collaboration is Bcomp’s first major US motorsport project, and we are excited to demonstrate together with the NASCAR IMPACT team how racing can pave the way for sustainable innovations, enabling benefits for wider society further down the road.”
NASCAR officials are encouraged by what is being offered, as VP of Vehicle Design Brandon Thomas said:
“Integrating sustainable innovations into the design process helps set the standard for sustainability across our industry and supports forward progress towards the company’s sustainability goals and targets.”
NASCAR wants to achieve net zero operating emissions by 2035 and set a series of five-year sustainability targets. These go past vehicle operations, as all owned tracks and offices will use 100 percent renewable energy.
Although it has not said it will dive head-first into EVs, NASCAR has teased prototypes in the past, and they’re extremely similar to what the company unveiled this past weekend.
In January, a leaked image showed a similar body style with a high-set spoiler, and it sent rumors through the stock car circuit. Nevertheless, it could be an indication of what is coming, but from our perspective, don’t look to see this be included in a NASCAR promotion anytime soon.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla begins Grok AI chatbot rollout to Australia and New Zealand fleet
The update follows earlier deployments in the United States and Europe.
Tesla has rolled out its Grok AI assistant to Australia and New Zealand, embedding the conversational chatbot directly into compatible vehicles via an over-the-air update.
The system, developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, is now live on select models, giving drivers access to a voice-based assistant that goes well beyond traditional command-driven controls.
The update follows earlier deployments in the United States and Europe.
Tesla Australia confirmed Grok is available on Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y vehicles equipped with an AMD processor and running software version 2025.26 or later.
“Grok is coming to Teslas in Australia and New Zealand. It can answer almost any question using real-time information & also add/edit navigation destinations to become your personal guide. Phased rollout has now begun to eligible vehicles,” Tesla Australia and New Zealand wrote in a post on its official X account.
Drivers can activate Grok using the steering wheel controls once the update is installed. Access requires either a Premium Connectivity subscription or a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Unlike conventional in-car voice assistants that rely on fixed prompts, Grok is designed to respond conversationally. It can adjust navigation mid-trip, locate nearby points of interest, explain dashboard warnings, provide driving guidance and reference the owner’s manual.
Tesla noted that interactions with Grok are processed by xAI and remain anonymous to Tesla, adding that conversations are not linked to a specific driver or vehicle.
Grok has attracted attention overseas for offering multiple interaction modes. In the U.S., users can select personalities such as Assistant, Language Tutor, Therapist, Storyteller and Meditation. Additional optional modes for adult users include settings labeled Unhinged, Motivation, Argumentative, Romantic and even Sexy.
Viral clips shared online have shown Grok adopting sarcastic or playful tones that differ from more neutral digital assistants, with the AI assistant typically catching drivers off-guard with its sharp personality and wit.
News
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
When ordering a new Ford Mustang Mach-E, you’ll now be hit with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
Ford is charging an additional fee for a basic EV feature on its Mustang Mach-E, its most popular electric vehicle offering.
Ford has shuttered its initial Model e program, but is venturing into a more controlled and refined effort, and it is abandoning the F-150 Lightning in favor of a new pickup that is currently under design, but appears to have some favorable features.
However, ordering a new Mustang Mach-E now comes with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
The frunk is the front trunk, and due to the lack of a large engine in the front of an electric vehicle, OEMs are able to offer additional storage space under the hood. There’s one problem, though, and that is that companies appear to be recognizing that they can remove it for free while offering the function for a fee.
Ford is now charging $495 on the Mustang Mach-E frunk (front trunk). What are your thoughts on that? pic.twitter.com/EOzZe3z9ZQ
— Alan of TesCalendar 📆⚡️ (@TesCalendar1) February 24, 2026
Ford is charging $495 for the frunk.
Interestingly, the frunk size varies by vehicle, but the Mustang Mach-E features a 4.7 to 4.8 cubic-foot-sized frunk, which measures approximately 9 inches deep, 26 inches wide, and 14 inches high.
When the vehicle was first released, Ford marketed the frunk as the ultimate tailgating feature, showing it off as a perfect place to store and serve cold shrimp cocktail.
Ford Mach-E frunk is perfect for chowders and chicken wings, and we’re not even joking
It appears the decision to charge for what is a simple advantage of an EV is not going over well, as even Ford loyal customers say the frunk is a “basic expectation” of an EV. Without it, it seems as if fans feel the company is nickel-and-diming its customers.
It will be pretty interesting to see the Mach-E without a frunk, and while it should not be enough to turn people away from potentially buying the vehicle, it seems the decision to add an additional charge to include one will definitely annoy some customers.
News
Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Tesla is looking to upgrade its Matrix Headlights, a unique and high-tech feature that is available on several of its vehicles. The headlights aim to maximize visibility for Tesla drivers while being considerate of oncoming traffic.
The Matrix Headlights Tesla offers utilize dimming of individual light pixels to ensure that visibility stays high for those behind the wheel, while also being considerate of other cars by decreasing the brightness in areas where other cars are traveling.
Here’s what they look like in action:
-
- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
-
- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
As you can see, the Matrix headlight system intentionally dims the area where oncoming cars would be impacted by high beams. This keeps visibility at a maximum for everyone on the road, including those who could be hit with bright lights in their eyes.
There are still a handful of complaints from owners, however, but Tesla appears to be looking to resolve these with the coming updates in a Software Version that is currently labeled 2026.2.xxx. The coding was spotted by X user BERKANT:
🚨 Tesla is quietly upgrading Matrix headlights.
Software https://t.co/pXEklQiXSq reveals a hidden feature:
matrix_two_stage_reflection_dip
This is a major step beyond current adaptive high beams.
What it means:
• The car detects highly reflective objects
Road signs,… pic.twitter.com/m5UpQJFA2n— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 24, 2026
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Finally, the new system will prevent the high beams from glaring back at the driver. The system is made to dim when it recognizes oncoming cars, but not necessarily objects that could produce glaring issues back at the driver.
Tesla’s revolutionary Matrix headlights are coming to the U.S.
This upgrade is software-focused, so there will not need to be any physical changes or upgrades made to Tesla vehicles that utilize the Matrix headlights currently.
Tesla begins Grok AI chatbot rollout to Australia and New Zealand fleet
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
