Stockland Green students get behind the wheel of electric car

Driven students at Stockland Green School are getting behind the wheel of the electric vehicle revolution – by building their own car.

Pupils at the school, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, are set to re-enter the Green Power scheme, a global project that encourages teams from schools to test their engineering, teamwork and design skills, to create a vehicle they can drive in competition.

The school first got involved in the scheme back in 2019, when they built a car sponsored by Erdington-based Jaguar.

Now, after going into lockdown, the vehicle is coming out of the garage for another generation of students to roll up their sleeves and get it back on the road.

Science teacher Tom Surridge, 31, who is leading the regular after-school Green Power Car Club, explained: “The school first got involved back in 2013-14, when we were lucky to get a grant from Green Power, which was sponsored by Siemens, which provided not only the basic components of a vehicle, but also some funding to help pay for equipment and tools.

“In 2019 I took over the club, with the aim of getting it up-and-running again, but then unfortunately COVID hit and we weren’t able to really go for it.

“Now we’re getting back on track. We’ve had loads of interest from the pupils, both boys and girls, and of all ages, and the scheme really encourages them to engage with STEM subjects.”

The Stockland Green car is now drivable, although club members still need to design and manufacture the streamlined shell to go over its metal frame.

Mr Surridge said: “Putting the initial car together is just about following an instruction manual, whereas the actual body can be more challenging for the pupils – they have to make sure it’s aerodynamic and made of materials that are light and stable.

“It really helps build the students’ decision making skills – I have literally sat back and let the pupils do it. They decide everything.”

Under the Green Power scheme, inter-school races are staged at iconic tracks around the country in an annual season that runs from March to October, where students not only drive the electric cars – which reach around 30 miles per hour – but also form the pit crews and technical teams.

Races last for 90 minutes with teams changing drivers throughout. Crucially, if the car develops a problem during a race, teaching staff are not allowed to intervene, meaning the young pit crews have to take control.

Stockland Green is now aiming to enter its car into these races, which were severely affected by the pandemic.

Mr Surridge said:

“Our main goal, hopefully by the end of the year, is to have the car entered into one of the inter-school competitions that are run by Green Power, to race against other schools across the country. We’re looking for sponsorship to help us achieve this, so if there are any companies out there that are interested in helping and having their name on the side of the car, we want to hear from them.”

Of course, entering races means the school will need drivers, and the students are all keen to get behind the wheel.

“They’re all quite desperate to drive it,” Mr Surridge said, “So I’m considering taking them to a go-karting centre to see who gets the fastest time – and that will decide who the official driver is.”

Students Gurtej Birdi and Louis Bonser, both aged 14, are keen members of the club, and have got behind the wheel on short test runs at the school site.

Gurtej said: “I helped with the electrics part of the car, and the wheels, and other parts of the car.

“I’ve had a go at driving it and it’s fast, and it handles really well – the brakes are good!”

Louis said: “I’ve worked on most the car and driven it – I wasn’t expecting it to go that fast!

“We’re excited to race the car against other schools.”

Mr Surridge added: “It’s really good to have a long-term project, something that the pupils can stick with, where they can get very hands-on rather than sitting in a classroom. It’s builds up their STEM skills as well as their skills in leadership and teamwork.

“And, at the end of the day, if they can take it out on the track on a race day, it will be a fantastic way to see the results of their work actually in action.”

Head of School Rebecca Goode said:

“The Green Power Club provides a really good real-world connection for students, allowing children to see how the things they learn at school can come together in a project with has a direct link to a possible future career or pathway for them.”

Science teacher Tom Surridge with students Gurtej Birdi and Louis Bonser and the Stockland Green car.