Sandia National Laboratories is once again hosting the annual electric car challenge, bringing together middle schoolers from across New Mexico to showcase their ingenuity and creativity.
Sponsored by Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories, the competition tasks kids with building the fastest electric car, capable of carrying a payload. Participants are provided a basic kit that includes a motor and three AA alkaline batteries. There are no limits on creativity, just dimensions.
Scheduled for November 16, the event encourages teamwork, problem-solving and unleashes the students' creative sides to not only create a fast car but also one that's fun to look at.
This year, 47 teams from 24 schools will be participating in the event, which will be held at Kennedy Middle School in Albuquerque. Some teams will be traveling from as far as Tularosa and Carlsbad. Of the 47 teams, 12 are newcomers to the competition and 18 teams represent Title 1 schools.
"I'm thrilled about the NM Electric Car Challenge, especially with the addition of more teams from diverse communities across New Mexico," said Deb Menke, K-12 STEM Outreach program coordinator at Sandia.
Teachers and students dedicate months to preparing for the competition, which includes:
- A race on a 10-meter course
- A design challenge to demonstrate their understanding and application of design concepts
- An optional research challenge with a 5 to 7-minute presentation to showcase their findings and insights
"This initiative not only fosters innovation and teamwork but also empowers students to explore sustainable technologies, bridging the gap in STEM education and inspiring the next generation of innovators," Menke said.
Volunteers from Sandia have spent the year preparing for the competition and will serve as judges, scorekeepers and technical advisors during the event.
