ATU-Ozark team has good showing in electric vehicle rally

Three students from Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus competed in the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas’ 10th Annual Electric Vehicle Rally, taking home first place honors in the troubleshooting category.

Held Friday, April 19, at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock, the event is a challenging mix of competitions designed to test the teams’ and their vehicles’ abilities.

The ATU-Ozark team, which is sponsored by Arkansas Valley Electrical Cooperative (AVEC) in Ozark, included Automotive Service Technology students Jacob Griego of Ozark, Josh James of Clarksville and Matt Bolton of Alma.

The EV program is an ongoing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiative formed through a partnership between industry and educational institutes.

Throughout the year, students complete a variety of activities related to the electric-vehicle program, developing presentations and taking part in a wide range of projects, according to ECA’s website. The highlight of this unique project is the design and construction of electric vehicles that the students enter and drive in the statewide competition.

Tony Wilson with AVEC’s Community Relations and Key Accounts, said, “Arkansas Valley Electric is proud to partner with Arkansas Tech-Ozark in this program that helps position Arkansas students for future opportunities in the alternate fuel systems industry as electric vehicles become more common.”