Nissan's electric car, the Leaf Nismo RC, is set to race in the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, South Australia this Sunday.
The Clipsal 500 is an event in the V8 Supercars Series, which is similar to Nascar stock-car racing in the U.S., The Wall Street Journal reported.
The Leaf's all-electric features make it one of the most innovative racing cars in the world, according to Box Score News. The car is a zero-emission vehicle powered by an electric motor, which contains lithium-ion batteries that require no tail pipe or fuel tank.
The Clipsal 500 will be the first time the Leaf will appear in Australia, Box Score News reported. Since the vehicle was introduced at the New York Auto Show in 2011, the vehicle has made only several appearances in cities such as Le Mans in France and Goodwood in the United Kingdom.
The development of Nissan's new car is significant to the current "green" movement that is growing in top-tier racing, according to The Wall Street Journal. Several car manufacturers such as Audi, Porsche and Toyota are starting to add electric power to hybrid race cars due to fuel efficiency being a great asset in racing.
The Leaf will appear on-track in the "Nissan Time Attack" on both Saturday and Sunday at the Adelaide Parklands street circuit, according to Box Score News. The Leaf will be pitted against a Nissan Altima V8 Supercar and a Nissan GT-R road car.
According to Box Score News, Former V8 Supercars champion Rick Kelly will drive the Leaf in the "Nissan Time Attack", which adds him to the small list of those who drove the car. That list includes Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert and former FIA GT1 World Champion Michael Krumm. Kelly said he was excited about being the first person to drive the Leaf in Australia.
"It's a crazy time at the moment, having come from Bathurst in the GT-R, then testing our Altima V8 Supercar, and now I'm going to get the chance to drive one of Nissan's game changers," Kelly said. "The Leaf Nismo RC is a pure racecar. It's not going to sound like the racing cars we're all come to know, but the level of detail that Nismo has gone to in this car is amazing.
"I'm also excited by what the future holds in the automotive industry and it's great to be a part of a manufacturer that is a leader in automotive innovation, and in particular electric-powered vehicles, and the Leaf RC is a perfect example of that."
