Pflugerville students win 2 awards in electric car showcase
PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Pflugerville students won a first-place award during an electric car showcase competition. The students were part of a team from Harmony Science Academy – Pflugerville (HSA-P).
Hand-built electric cars were presented during the South Texas F24 Showcase in Edinburg, Texas, and the team won first place in the Stock Category and fourth place in the Advanced Stock Category, according to the school.
The F24 showcase is available to sixth through 12th-grade students.
According to HSA-P, the students returned for their second year and entered two cars into the competition.
To compete, a car must be built using the materials from a Greenpower USA kit.
The goal of the Greenpower USA Foundation is to advance the understanding of STEM topics and inspire innovation in young people through the immersive experience of designing, building, and racing electric-powered vehicles.
Greenpower USA's mission statement
The teams are required a make their stock car using the kit’s car manual except for allowed modifications.
HSA-P said the allowed modifications included:
- Adding a heat sink to the motor
- Creating a custom steering wheel
- Installing a new safety harness
- Installing a new LED brake light
- Relocating the horn button
- Tires must have a sidewall PSI rating that cannot exceed 70 PSI when installing them
"In addition to showcasing their cars, each team must also give a presentation to the judges and industry partners on their vehicle and design process,” Ibrahim Erfidan, physics and CTE instructor at HSA-P, said.