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Utah students build and race electric cars

Posted at 7:34 PM, Apr 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-27 21:34:35-04

TOOELE COUNTY, Utah -- It may be the slowest race held at the Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele, but that doesn't make it less exciting or important.

The Utah Greenpower Race includes ten Utah high schools and middle schools. They get a kit with parts to build an electric car, but they have to design it and build it themselves.

On race day, the goal is to see who can go the furthest on the car's battery in a certain amount of time.

The real goal of the program is to inspire students to think about careers in engineering and develop skills that help in any field.

Alex Stevens, a junior at Manti High School, said the hardest part had nothing to do with constructing the car.

"I think one of the most challenging parts for this team is learning how to talk to people, to get sponsors to help pay," Stevens said. "We all know how to do things on the car, but none of us are very good at talking."

Utah State University organizes the race, which gets funding from an international organization called Greenpower, and the Siemens corporation.