Students who walk into Davis High School’s auto shop are not usually thinking about electric vehicles, according to automotive instructor Robert Thayer.
Thanks to Energy Commission funding and a partnership with American River College, that mindset is changing as students work on the school’s new Switch vehicle.
“We want to create a culture in which electric vehicles are just as exciting and interesting as any other automobile out there,” Thayer said.
Davis High School is located in Yolo County, a rural area about 20 miles from Sacramento. The school is close to migrant farmworker communities. Thayer said he has wanted to integrate alternative fuel vehicles as part of the curriculum, but did not have the resources to put any of that instruction into practice.
Thayer worked with American River College to apply for Energy Commission grant funding to purchase a Switch Electric Vehicle kit. Commissioner Janea Scott visited the school in February to present the award and observe the students in action.
Now that the Switch is on site and ready to use, Thayer is working to incorporate it into his curriculum. His students have already assembled the rolling chassis with floor pan, steering system, front and rear suspension system and wheels/tires. Now they’ve begun assembly and installation of low voltage system, components and panels.
Thayer is looking to develop a process that will ensure the Switch can be used for decades to come.
He’s also hoping to use it as a catalyst to develop relationships with Davis High School’s nationally-known robotics team.
“The robotics teacher is interested in making the Switch self-driving,” Thayer said. “He’s interested in getting another one or designing a class around the Switch vehicle.”
Thayer said the school district is open to buying additional Switch vehicles.
He’s also hoping to purchase a plug-in hybrid to further students’ access to alternative fuel vehicles in preparation for the jobs they may obtain after graduation.
“We hope to start moving in that direction toward hybrid electrics and get a late model to use as a teaching tool, similar to what gets purchased at a community college,” Thayer said. “Students need to know how to work with a hybrid vehicle so they can test certain things on it or deal with customer complaints.”
