Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 27, 1994 TAG: 9404270096
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
From the outside, the vehicles will resemble race cars. They'll have numbers painted on their doors and sponsors' names on their hoods and side panels. And they'll have safety features such as roll bars.
The No. 1 car will be a red 1989 Chevrolet Geo Spectrum. It's the one prepared by students at Glenvar High School and the Arnold Burton Technology Center in Roanoke County.
They have been working on the project since last fall - buying the car, stripping it down and rebuilding it.
Now they are ready to put it up against 18 other cars from six states ranging from North Carolina to Pennsylvania.
All the cars will have one thing in common: They are converted gasoline-powered cars that run on electricity.
They are no louder than a refrigerator. The car prepared by the Roanoke County students was hardly audible when it was driven onto the lawn at Burton for a news conference Tuesday.
The gasoline engine and related equipment have been replaced by an electric motor and 16 six-volt batteries.
The competition among the high schools is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Edison Electric Institute. It is designed to generate interest among high school students in modern technology and electricity as an efficient energy source.
Appalachian Power Co. and power companies in other states have helped finance the students' projects. Apco provided the $4,000 entry fee and $1,500 to get the Roanoke County students started on their car. The power company provided a similar amount for a school in Raleigh County, W.Va.
More than 20 businesses and companies donated money, parts or other assistance for the Roanoke County car. Excluding the entry fee, the preliminary budget for the project was about $5,500. Most of the mechanical work was done by students and instructors at Burton.
The students paid $500 for the car and General Electric Co. provided the motor and controller at a cost of $600.
The car has been tested at the New River Valley Speedway at speeds of 50 to 60 mph. The students said it can travel faster, but they are not sure of the top speed.
Speed is only one of five areas in the competition in the Electric Vehicle Grand Prix. The racing teams also will compete in vehicle efficiency, handling, range and an oral presentation about their cars.
The students have chosen Robert Cox, a stock car driver from the Roanoke Valley, to be their driver. The rules do not require students to drive the vehicles. They believe Cox will give them a better chance of finishing high in the competition.
Pep bands and cheerleaders from the participating schools will cheer for their teams. More than 100 students from Glenvar and Burton are expected to go to Richmond for the three days of competition this weekend.
James M. Johnson, Burton's principal, said the project has generated enthusiasm among the students. Dozens of students have worked on different aspects of the project.
Richard Burton, public affairs director of Apco, said electric cars will become commonplace as battery technology improves and more efficient vehicles are created.
Burton believes that utilities will begin using electric vehicles for short trips that can be completed before the batteries have to be recharged.
When the technology for recharging batteries improves so it can be done more quickly, he said, more people are likely to turn to electric vehicles.
Electric cars will cause less pollution and will be cheaper to operate, Burton said.
"We will see electric cars in our time," he said.
by CNB