EV competition revs up

About 150 students from 16 schools are ready to test their electric vehicle creations on the track in the EVolocity Waikato finals on September 29.

Top placegetters will continue on to the national finals at the EVworld South expo in Christchurch on November 24.

EVolocity is a competition where students design, build and race their own electric kart or bike with assistance from teachers, tertiary tutors and mentors from engineering businesses.

Engineers and teachers are praising the competition, saying it is sparking renewed interest in science, maths and engineering in Waikato secondary schools.

The EV competition has attracted more interest than ever, including at least 30 female competitors, which co-ordinator Levinia Paku says is encouraging.

As well as speed, school EVs will be judged on economy, rolling resistance and motor control. Other prizes will be awarded for innovation and sustainability, with extra points for body design, bling, creatively dressed teams and community awareness.

It’s been an excellent way to spark interest in important secondary school subjects and mechanical and electrical engineering, Waikato Engineering Careers Association (WECA) manager Mary Jensen says.

“EVolocity puts students in a workshop setting and sees them practising the subjects they are learning in the classroom in a hands-on way. For most students this will also be their first taste of engineering and hopefully will inspire the best students to pursue careers in this lucrative sector,” she says.

WECA is co-ordinating EVolocity in the region and its engineering company members, along with Wintec and the University of Waikato, are supporting the initiative.

“We’re facing a shortage of skilled engineers as a region and as a nation, so our members and tertiary providers are very motivated to equip and inspire the next generation of engineers,” Jensen says.

“We see EVolocity as complementary to the school curriculum as it gives students that extra taste of what engineering looks like in the real world.”

St Johns’ College head of technology Steve Andrew says 10 Year 13 students participating in EVolocity at his school have embraced the challenge, renewing their vigour for technology, maths and science subjects.

“They’re using core subjects like science and physics in the workshop and they’re so engrossed. It’s also probably the first time they have been exposed to mechanical and electrical engineering, so that’s a big part of it too.”

Team work among students and teachers had been another positive spinoff.

EVolocity was founded in Christchurch in 2014 and executive director Rob McEwen says Waikato, with hundreds of engineering businesses, is a good fit for their mission to establish EVolocity throughout New Zealand.