High school students ready to race their electric go-carts
By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer
Electron Marathon photo
It may not be a NASCAR event, but this go-cart race promises to be just as exciting. Some may call it "electrifying."
Waialua High School’s go-cart, a custom-made electric vehicle, completes a lap at last year’s Hawaiian Electric Electron Marathon.
The sixth annual Hawaiian Electric Electron Marathon, presented by Hawaiian Electric Co., will be a one-hour endurance race Saturday at Ford Island featuring electric go-carts custom-made by students from 21 public and private Hawai'i high schools.
"We wanted to make students familiar with electric technology," said Pepi Nieva, a spokeswoman for HECO, "and we came up with a really fun event."
Event organizers wanted to give students hands-on experience in electric vehicle, or "EV," technology, while incorporating research, writing and public speaking skills into the process. Major car manufacturers around the world are now building EVs as part of an international effort to produce emission-free vehicles.
HECO provided car kits as well as technical expertise to the participating schools.
The Electron Marathon, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the state Department of Education and the U.S. Navy. Ford Island will be open to the public at 7:30 a.m., and the event begins at 9 a.m. with an inter-military service race of go-carts made by members of the Navy, Army, Marine Corps and Air Force. The high school go-cart race begins at 10 a.m.
The participating high schools include:
- Big Island: Kealakehe High, Kohala High, Waiakea High and West Hawai'i Explorations Academy.
- Kaua'i: Kapa'a High and Kaua'i High.
- Maui: Lana'i High, Maui High and Seabury Hall.
- O'ahu: Castle High, Farrington High, 'Iolani School, Kahuku High, Kalaheo High, Mid Pacific Institute, Mililani High, Onipa'a O Ke Akua Home School, Sacred Hearts Academy, St. Andrew's Priory, Waialua High and Wai'anae High.
