[Excerpt from article on Rotorua Daily News]
Another competition that has displayed a high level of local digital and engineering skills is Evolocity.
Evolocity is where teams of students work together to design, build and then race an electric bike or go-kart.
Teams from Te Rangihakahaka, John Paul College, Mokoia Intermediate and the Te Aka Mauri Young Engineers Club worked with mentors from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Rotorua Motor Works, Real Cool and Hayes International to design and build go-karts.
Rotorua had teams in the 2020 National Evolocity Competition last month for the first time and they were among the youngest teams participating.
Events included a drag race (go as fast as possible in a determined space – measured with a police radar gun), economy run (drive as many laps as possible on a given amount of power) and gymkhana (manoeuvre around a track and transport a liquid filled container and deliver batons).
Team Toru from the Te Aka Mauri Young Engineers Club placed first in the economy run for karts.
Generous support from Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust has supplied funding to provide electric kits for all eligible Rotorua schools for 2021.
“We are looking forward to connecting with more mentors from our local engineering firms, mechanics and other interested volunteers to mentor teams next year”, says Jessica.
Contact jessica.wilkes@rotorualc.nz to volunteer as a mentor or to sign up as a school or team for Aquabots or Evolocity in 2021.
