This all-electric Panoz could race in Le Mans 2018
Le Mans 2017 is in the history books now, and it’s clear this year’s 24-hour race wasn’t the finest day for hybrid powertrains. There were problems for Porsche and Toyota’s LMP1 hybrids throughout the race, and it prompted Toyota boss Akio Toyoda to wonder if hybrids should contest Le Mans at all.
However, not everyone seems to be as unsure about electrified tech. At this year’s race, Panoz revealed the Green4U Panoz Racing GT-EV, a streamlined prototype designed to take on the most important race of the year.
However, not everyone seems to be as unsure about electrified tech. At this year’s race, Panoz revealed the Green4U Panoz Racing GT-EV, a streamlined prototype designed to take on the most important race of the year.
A joint project between the American racing team Panoz and its EV partner Green4U, the new car is a vision of what Le Mans could be. Featuring a 180mph top speed, a carbon-fibre chassis for lightness, four-wheel drive and 603 horsepower, the new car also has one other interesting innovation up its sleeve.
Instead of using a battery and simply charging it throughout the race – or changing the cars as in Formula E – the GT-EV uses a removable battery design. The right-hand side of the car has space for a 450 kg battery, and according to Autoweek, Panoz would change the battery ten times in the 24-hour race.
If all goes to plan, the GT-EV should be taking part in Le Mans next year, but as an innovative, experimental Garage 56 entry rather than as a thoroughbred racer. Panoz has also included renders of a road-going version of the car – although there’s no clue yet on how much it will cost or how fast it will be.
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