High school students from across Northwest Florida will put their engineering skills to the test as they race their newly built electric vehicles at Five Flags Speedway this Saturday, April 6.
- The event, part of the Electrathon America program, is sponsored by Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), which donated the EV-build kits to the participating schools.
The students, representing Crestview High School, West Florida High School, Navarre High School, and Pensacola High School, have spent the last several months designing and fabricating their electric vehicles. The objective is to create the most efficient vehicle that can travel the longest distance on a single charge.
FPL’s support of the Electrathon America program aims to provide students in Northwest Florida with the opportunity to apply their creativity in a practical setting while encouraging teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
- By learning electric car building skills, students are expected to develop a greater interest in STEM-related fields, which will help support the continued growth of electric vehicles, according to FPL. It is estimated that one in three cars on the road will be electric by 2027.
Northwest Florida has seen a steady influx of electric vehicles in the market, with a 34% increase in the number of electric and plug-in vehicles compared to last year. FPL says that more than 6,600 electric vehicles have been registered in the region since January.
The race will take place at Five Flags Speedway located at 7451 Pine Forest Road, Pensacola, FL 32526. The race is scheduled to start at 9:30 AM on Saturday, April 6.
