NASCAR's prototype EV NASCAR is facing backlash and has been branded "so out of touch" after NASCAR Vice President John Probst discussed the possibility of using electric vehicles in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Last year, NASCAR unveiled its first EV prototype at the Chicago Street Race.The first look at the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype drew mixed reactions. Some were positive about NASCAR's latest development, while others expressed great hesitancy. Now, NASCAR VP Probst has asserted that the introduction of EVs into the sport's second tier, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, could help strengthen its struggling identity.The current CUV carries similarities to that seen in the Cup Series, while Trucks are in a lane of their own. Probst has suggested that their CUV body developed for their electric car could help NOAP. It comes after one of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s drivers was involved in a scary crash in the NOAP.NASCAR 'in touch' with Dale Earnhardt Jr's team over terrifying airborne wreckBubba Wallace finding himself in uncomfortable position as he makes admission"If you look at the brand identity of those three [national series], the O'Reilly Series struggles a little bit just from the car perspective and you see it a lot because we refer to it often as whoever the entitlement sponsor is," Probst told Sports Business Journal."Long term, you see it as we do, have that CUV body that we developed for our electric vehicle. I'm not sitting here saying today we're breaking news it's going to CUV, but these are the things that are on the roadmap to consider," Probst said. NASCAR's VP has come under fire for comments about the potential future use of EV's in NOAPS "So, you'd have a Truck, a CUV, and a Cup. That's three very different bodies that are relevant for our OEMs today to create that brand identity for each series."He added: "There is certainly a needle to be threaded there along the line of entertainment and sport, and maybe you can even go beyond sport and just say pure engineering. I think for us, I feel like we don't need to be on the absolute bleeding edge of powertrain technology to be relevant to our OEMs and also be entertaining to our fans."Probst's comments haven't been well received, with the NASCAR chief being branded "out of touch" by some fans. "They need to realize you can't force feed a product to fans that they don't want. They will stop watching," one replied. NASCAR unveiled its EV prototype last year in Chicago "Go ahead and create a new series or division and see if it takes. But drastically changing your current race car has already proven to be a bad idea.""I'm NASCAR's biggest fan but it's stuff like this that makes it hard to defend them, about the only thing everyone agrees on is how good the NOAPS car is and rather than fixing the Next Gen almost everyone hates they rather ruin their only good product," another replied."Where does NASCAR find these fools who are so out of touch with their fanbase?" a third asked. "Talk about being out of touch with the fan base this might possibly be the dumbest s-- I have heard yet. @NASCAR do better," a fourth fumed.