Utah Motorsports Campus is the site of 'Electric' Race

Eleven schools be will settling it all on the tarmac at the Utah Motorsports Campus April 28 in competition for the title of the fastest electric car.

The semi-annual Greenpower invitational, which is hosted by the Utah State University-based USU STARS! GEAR UP, will pit 10 Utah schools and one Nevada school all face-to-face to test their single-seat racers that were designed using computer-aided 3-D design software.

Entrants are coming from across the state of Utah with the addition of West Wendover High out of Nevada to race cars — which student-based teams designed and built with the assistance of faculty. 

“This project has helped students develop more sophisticated designs and strategies for building their cars as well as an understanding of aerodynamics and energy conversion,” said Gayle Bowen, STEM coordinator. “The students are given this opportunity to connect with other STEM students, all with the goal of preparing them for the workforce of tomorrow.”

The academic course, which was developed by John Devitry, adjunct professor for mechanical and aerospace engineering at USU, uses Siemens Solid Edge, a software program that helps students learn how become more proficient at computer-aided design, which they then used to design their vehicles.

The USU STARS! GEAR UP program is federally funded and was designed to help students prepare for a STEM-related college path. Greenpower is an international organization dedicated to promoting engineering and technology to people from the ages of 9 to 25.

The six hour invitational begins at 9 a.m. April 28 at the Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele.

Contact: Gayle Bowen, 435-512-7988, gayle@bowenstem.com