News

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

San Marcos Automotive Technology ROP students win Earth Day 2010 Green Car Show Award

(left to right) Kevin Vasquez, Carlos Pratt, Francisco Aritzi, Russell Granger, Chris Bebb, Robbie Behlman

Automotive Technology is a course within the Regional Occupations Program (ROP) of the Santa Barbara County Education Office. The two-year comprehensive course covers the principles of operation, care, maintenance, and repair of the automobile. Two-thirds of the total course hours are devoted to practical, hands-on working situations in the high school shop setting. At the 2010 Earth Day Festival on April 17-18 at Alameda Park, San Marcos High School ROP students and their teacher, Russell Granger, unveiled the Electric Porsche Project (EPP), the hands-on component of the school’s Automotive Technology course. The glistening royal blue electric Porsche caught the eye of event organizers and Earth Day attendees, winning the festival’s 2010 Green Car Show Award.

“We are very proud of what these students have accomplished and the recognition they received at the Earth Day Festival. The experience of rebuilding a vehicle and successfully completing an electric conversion is providing meaningful job skill training for these students," said County Superintendent Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the program.

(left to right) Carlos Pratt, Kevin Vasquez, Chris Bebb, Russell Granger, Francisco Aritzi, Robbie Behlman, Arjun Sarkar

“The Electric Porsche Project has provided an excellent opportunity for San Marcos students to learn about emerging technologies and how they will impact the future of the automotive industry. It also imparts a particularly powerful environmental message. This is because, when the Porsche 914 is tuned according to manufacturer specifications and running optimally, it is incapable of passing a California Emissions Test,” said Mr. Granger. “Most were flagged as gross polluters when they were still being tested,” he added.

The Electric Porsche Project has been, and continues to be, an invaluable learning experience for students. For the past 2½ years, the school’s Automotive Technology ROP students have worked on converting the donated 1971 Porsche 914 to an electric vehicle. The project is currently about one year from completion, when the engine, interior, and detailing will be finished. The goal is for students to unveil a completed zero-emissions vehicle at next year’s Earth Day Festival.

Condition of the Porsche before work began.

The Electric Porsche Project, funded entirely by donations, is possible because of the generosity of local Santa Barbara businesses and community members. Their investment of time and resources has fueled the students’ desire to learn, to create something new and positive, and to help the environment.

It all began with John Trotti. Mr. Trotti wanted to do something good for the students of San Marcos High School and its Automotive Technology program so he donated his 27-year-old 1971 Porsche 914.

Then, Paul Waters, a San Marcos parent, suggested having students convert the Porsche to an electric vehicle. Mr. Granger researched the project to see if a conversion was possible. When he learned that MIT had successfully completed a Porsche 914 electric conversion the year before, Mr. Granger knew the project was do-able and his students would be up to the challenge.

Mr. Granger and Mr. Waters appealed to the community and secured support for the project:

• An anonymous donor covered the cost of all of the electric components and batteries.
• Prestigious Auto Body & Paint provided $6,500 worth of paint and body work.
• Schneider’s Autohaus offered to overhaul the 40-year-old transmission so that it would be able to handle the increased torque of the new electric motor
• Mena’s Upholstery offered to replace the interior with a new, custom interior in San Marcos’s royal blue and red colors, prominently featuring the school’s Lion of St Mark.

Condition of the Porsche before work began.

Once all project needs were met, students began work. They completely stripped the Porsche of all its gasoline components, interior panels, and body parts, and sent what was left of the well-worn vehicle to Prestigious Auto Body & Paint. Once repainted royal blue, the Porsche looked brand new. The transmission was sent to Schneider’s Autohaus and it currently awaiting a new ring and pinion to complete the overhaul. The students are currently installing the electrical circuitry and components necessary to make the Porsche a zero-emissions vehicle.

Winning the Green Car Show Award was icing on the cake for the hard-working San Marcos students. What they heard most often at the Earth Day Festival was, “I can’t believe this is a high school project!” Mr. Granger is expanding the level of expectation for San Marcos High’s Automotive Technology students while simultaneously increasing students’ global awareness.