A high school in Lakeshore is blazing a trail in the way students are being educated to meet the electric vehicle revolution.
St. Anne Catholic High School is the first high school in Canada to receive its own Switch electric vehicle, according to the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board.
The educational kit car was delivered to the school earlier this year and over the course of each semester, senior students will assemble the car, learning the ins and outs of electric vehicles.
Transportation Technology teacher John Pizzuto says the whole vehicle is opened and exposed so the students can see all of the components, which will be completely assembled by the students.
"The idea is for them to assemble it, get the car running and driving, do some testing, do some programming, learn about the basic fundamentals," he says. "Then at the end of the semester, they take it back apart so the next group of senior students can put it back together to get the same experience."
The Switch EV can reach a speed of up to 145 km/h.
St. Anne Catholic High School Transportation Technology teacher John Pizzuto works with students in the Switch electric vehicle. Dec. 14, 2023. (Photo: Rusty Thomson)
Pizzuto says the students will get a wonderful opportunity to get real hands-on experience.
"In our area we have battery factories that are popping up and other factories that are showing interest in our area, so why not get our students ready for these possible jobs that are available to them in the future," he says.
Grade 11 student Pavithra Rajesh has been working on the Switch EV over the past semester and she one day hopes to study aeronautical engineering in university.
"I find it fascinating to actually play with these items yourself. Growing up you see this on TV and wonder what the process is, how is it built? Actually trying to get to do it yourself is really fascinating and exciting, that's how I feel about the Switch EV," she says.
Pizzuto says with every component there's a lesson.
"There's still some basic automotive principles that need to be covered. It still has a hydraulic brake system, so we covered the hydraulic brake system. It has a steering system, a suspension system, and then as we get deeper into it, there's electric systems and battery cells. Electrical crimping, relays, some testing, some diagnostics," he adds.
While the curriculum for the students directly involves hands-on work with the Switch EV, the kit will also impact other courses at the school as a way of preparing students for the possibilities the electric vehicle industry will provide in terms of future employment.
Science students in Grade 9 will learn about calculating voltage, current and resistance in the context of an electric vehicle.
Students in Grade 10 chemistry and biology will learn lessons around electro-chemistry, climate change and how the electric vehicle sector could impact those factors.
The Switch EV was showcased to the media during an event Thursday at St. Anne.