South Canterbury students get ready to race

All South Canterbury high schools will be taking part in this year’s EVolocity competition. Last year, Geraldine High School was the only school from South Canterbury to enter the electric motorsport event.

They came home with a swag of awards including the best performance, best design and best social marketing awards.

However, this year they will have more local competition as every school from the area taking part.

EVolocity is a ‘‘fast-paced, innovative and exciting motorsport event’’ with an environmental twist – demonstrating electric vehicle performance and efficiency.

The EVolocity Challenge involves teams of young people designing and building their own electric vehicles (EV’s) and racing them to compete for the EVolocity title.

There will be 38 teams, including those from the 10 South Canterbury high schools.

EVolocity Executive Director Rob McEwen said last year’s competition showed how smart, creative and competitive teams of young people could be. ‘‘From what I’ve seen the bar has been raised and the public is in for an awesome day of racing,’’ he said.

The event is held at the Ruapuna Motorsport Park in Christchurch on November 28. Along with the school competition, there will be test drive opportunities, smart energy solutions showcase, and supercar demonstrations including the revolutionary luxury BMW i8.

New Zealand’s fastest street legal drag racer will also be a part of the line up.

‘‘The Datsun 1200 will be loaded with double the horsepower when it hits the track at EVolocity in November. The last time it raced it won the street car class in the New Zealand Drag Racing Association’s latest season. This car has shocked petrol heads and the drag racing industry and it’s an experience you won’t want to miss.’’