IT MAY not be the ‘ultimate driving machine’ but a group of Worcester students had a highly successful year with their electric car thanks to the support of a local car dealership.
A team from the Royal Grammar School has been competing in an electric battery-powered race car series organised by the Greenpower Educational Trust, which aims to promote sustainable engineering and technology to young people.
The project requires students, guided by their teachers, to design and build an electric car, then race against other schools in similar vehicles at major UK circuits at weekends, with qualifying teams from across the world competing in the finals.
The RGS team has been sponsored with team wear, helmets and ‘car to pit’ radios thanks to Rybrook BMW Worcester.
Head of business Chat Shoker, said: “We are always delighted to be involved with the local community and to be supporting these youngsters in this very exciting scheme.
“We always strive to promote green issues so are very pleased to be involved with the school and believe these students could well become the designers and engineers of the future.
“It’s very rewarding to see them being so keen and passionate about this exciting and high technology project.”
One of the three nominated drivers of the racing car, Grace Read, 13, said: “Besides learning so much about design and engineering, we all work well together as a team and each member has their own responsibility, but it is also absolutely fantastic and really exciting to race against other schools at famous tracks such as Goodwood and Rockingham.”
Head of design and technology at RGS, Gwilym Batchelder, added: “We have had a very successful season and are extremely grateful to Rybrook BMW for their continued support which has allowed us to compete at a much higher level.
“Besides the obvious educational benefits for students, it is character building, and the necessity to work together as a team is highly rewarding, while at the same time providing them with a great sense of fun and achievement.
“We are already working hard on the design for this year’s car which will be much lighter and therefore quite a lot faster … so we have high hopes for podium finishes!”
