Zoomi Life

“How’s the homework going, Junior?”

“Not bad, dad.  I just finished putting the lithium-ion battery pack into the project car.  I sure hope I pass my driver’s test next week so I can take it out for a test run.”

“Sure, son, I wouldn’t worry abou…wait a minute! Battery pack?  Test drive?”

Students at Napoleon High School in Jackson, Michigan will be converting a 1995 Saturn SP1 into an electric car next spring.  The project is sponsored by two local businesses: Nicholls Electric Car Co. and TEch Tooling Specialties.  The class is an automotive-technology class.

Tom Nicholls, whose company sponsors the project, purchased the car and components for about $7,000 and projects the finish product will have a resell value of about $12,000.  His hope is that the project, in this way, will become self-funding, allowing the school to continue it every year.  Three other cars are already in the works.

The goal of the project is to familiarize students with electric motors and EV technology so they’ll be better prepared for future jobs in the automotive industry.  “It’s the future,” says one senior.

The car is expected to have a range of about 70 miles and be capable of highway speeds.

This Post via TreeHugger.com