Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Environment

UCSD Electric Racecar Shifts Into Competition

UCSD Electric Racecar Shifts Into Competition
UC San Diego engineering students are driving into the future with an electric racecar. They hope to fuel the trend toward "green" vehicles. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce tells us they hope the car helps fuel the trend toward "green" vehicles.

UC San Diego engineering students are driving into the future with an electric racecar. They hope to fuel the trend toward "green" vehicles. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce tells us they hope the car helps fuel the trend toward "green" vehicles.

The engineering students will race their car against more than 30 college and university teams from across the globe.

Advertisement

The competition starts today at the New Hampshire International Speedway.

The UC San Diego team built its Formula Hybrid car using a $15,000 grant from Plug In America, a nonprofit organization that works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles.

Under the program, students design and build an open-wheel, single-seat car that must conform to a strict set of rules.

The guidelines promote innovation and fuel efficiency.

UCSD mechanical engineering student Jerry Curiel says building the electric race car is an opportunity to make green technologies fun and exciting to other students.

Advertisement

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.