High school to take part in electric vehicle challenge

By Rob Vogt

Willow Creek Composite High School is just one of two schools in Alberta selected to participate in a unique challenge.
Edison Motors, of Merritt, B.C, is putting on a competition for high schools that will have each school build an electric go-kart, and compete in a series of challenges.
Teacher Mark Oakes said the Edison High School EV Challenge will be an amazing opportunity to showcase the talents of the students in the trades programs here at the school.
The students involved are Seth Brobbel; Finn Buhmiller; Caleb Loeffler; Ty McLean; Leilani Oakes; Colby Symens; and Carson Young.
High schools have been provided with key parts to the build: a driver’s seat and seat belts; brake and steering system components; and an electric motor, batteries, system controller, and display.
Participants will also receive only basic design and engineering guidance from Edison Motors staff, fostering independence and ingenuity.
The resulting EV designs will primarily reflect the creativity and engineering talents of the students involved.
“Our guys design the whole thing,” Oakes said, noting they use computer-aided design, or CAD.
“They’re building it all from scratch.”
The students will be using a variety of skills in the project such as engineering, design, fabrication, machining and eventually painting.
“It’s been a neat process,” Oakes said.
Teams will compete in a series of four events, all timed:
• Race;
• Barrel racing;
• Obstacle course race;
• Mystery event.
The winning team of each event will receive a $500 scholarship, and the top overall team will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
The leader of the winning team will be offered a paid summer position at Edison Motors to further develop their EV fabrication and engineering skills.
This will be the second year that Willow Creek Composite High School students will be travelling to Merritt for the Edison High School EV Challenge.
Last year was a learning experience where the team did well.
“We did everything we came to do,” Oakes said. “It was a great event.”
They also learned some lessons, and started the process earlier in the school year.
That will enable them to test the vehicle and practise driving it before they leave.
The team leaves for Merritt on May 30, with the challenge taking place on May 31.