EVolocity’s new programme
New Zealand’s leading EV STEM programme EVolocity is launching a new programme – the EVolocity Innovation Lab – sponsored by MeloYelo e-bikes.
The new EVolocity Innovation Lab encourages students to conceptualise and design original features that will enhance real-life e-bike riding experiences.
“Through the EVolocity Innovation Lab, we are giving high school students an opportunity to conceive of and create a product that can be added to an electric bike, and which enhances the value of the bike,” MeloYelo director and EVolocity founder Rob McEwen says.
By supplying a new e-mountain bike, Bafang 300W mid-drive motor kits, and a 13Ah lithium-ion battery to a qualifying team in each of their operational regions, EVolocity and MeloYelo aim to inspire innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Qualifying teams will not only be required to retrofit the high-quality bikes with the Bafang motor kits, they will also be tasked with adding an innovation of their own creation and ultimately preparing a sales pitch for their bike and original new design element, which will be used to sell the bikes at auction.
EVolocity will support students through a series of online workshops with a range of professionals.
“EVolocity is about developing future generations of innovators and the Innovation Lab provides a real-world platform for our young people to use their creativity to take a concept right through to a marketable product,” chief executive Sarah Fitzgerald says.
Teams will have six months to develop and produce their bikes into a finished product. The bikes will then be auctioned to raise funds for EVolocity’s work with proceeds from the auction being split between EVolocity and the winning teams.
It’s open to all schools in EVolocity’s operating regions, including those already enrolled on EVolocity’s flagship programme.
Meanwhile, EVolocity has workshops and race days in each of its regions during the rest of this year.
These include Picaxe controller workshops in Auckland on May 22 and Canterbury June 8, Arduino Innovation workshops in Auckland June 26, Waikato June 24, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua June 1, Wellington and Manawatu July 29 and August 5, and Canterbury June 16.
Auckland has a vehicle build day on August 7 leading up to its regional final on November 7.
Waikato has a trouble-shooting workshop on July 27 then a scrutineering day on September 9 before its regional final on September 25.
In Taranaki there’s a CAD workshop on May 23, followed by a welding workshop on June 10, scrutineering days on July 31 and September 11, a trouble-shooting and help day on August 14, culminating in the regional final on October 9.
Bay of Plenty and Rotorua host a vehicle build day on June 26, a roll cage and safety cell creation welding and build day on August 21, scrutineering and trouble-shooting workshops from September 27 to October 1, with the regional final on October 31.
Wellington and Manawatu have scrutineering and trouble-shooting workshops on August 19 and September 2 with the regional final on October 20.
Canterbury’s scrutineering and trouble-shooting day is August 26 with its regional final on October 2.
The national final is on November 28 at KartSport Hamilton.
Visit www.evolocity.co.nz for more information.
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Great initiative! It will be interesting to see what the students come up with.
EVolocity is already a very successful competition, giving the student teams great experience, and this will add an extra dimension.
But to clarify: the student teams will each be provided with a standard mountain bike, not an e-MTB as stated in the article.
The first step for them will be to fit the Bafang mid-drive kit and battery to convert it into an e-MTB. The second step will be to design and apply their innovative ideas to the completed bike.