SCC launches mobile electric vehicle lab
The operational electric vehicle assembled by SCC’s students taught them valuable skills in several areas.
Donated photo
Technology is evolving ever more rapidly, and Southwestern Community College in Franklin has taken steps to keep up by opening a mobile electric vehicle lab.
The mobile EV lab was funded by a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation as part of its Project E-Volve program and will enable instructors to bring their class to students, even at local high schools.
An earlier phase of the grant allowed for the construction of an electric vehicle, which was assembled by students last fall.
Automotive Assistant Programmer David Myers said that the program will allow students to broaden their knowledge and get some practical application on a number of systems. In addition to working on electrical systems and programming, there are still plenty of mechanical systems to build and explore. The school had been offering an introduction to sustainability class over the last few years, so the theory was already there, and now it is is accompanied by practice. Another benefit, said Myers, is that students will work on low-voltage systems to get experience in a safer environment than they are likely to encounter once they begin their careers.
Myers said that just as faculty had been discussing how to adapt the curriculum to meet modern demands, they came across the application for the Project E-Volve program.
“That fell right in line w what we were doing when we worked on the switch car,” he said.
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Madison McDonald, Senior Communications Manager for Duke Energy, said that grants such as the one provided to SCC are not only about helping a community institution; they’re intended to build a competent local workforce to work key roles that will protect continuity of the electrical grid. Many of the skills learned while working in one of Myers’ classes are directly transferrable to a job as a lineman or a switchgear operator, such as electrical theory, managing electrical loads and connecting to the grid.
Creating that local interest in the field Duke Energy is looking to grow is key, and that’s why McDonald said it’s nice to see Myers and crew have the opportunity to bring the EV lab to high schools where students are already seeing enhanced opportunities in STEM-related areas.
“We want to scale the training pipelines and remove financial barriers to students who want to enter energy careers,” McDonald said.
McDonald noted that since 2021, The Duke Energy Foundation has invested over $7 million for workforce programs across North Carolina in fields tied to the energy sector.
“At the end of the day, this is how Duke Energy is thinking about the workforce around energy transition,” she said.
Myers said that focus is needed, at least when it comes to the automotive field. Having been in the industry for 53 years, he said he’s seen plenty of change but nothing has compared to the last decade. Workers certified to work on modern technologies are in demand, and continuous education is necessary. Myers did 66 hours of “update training” just over the last year. Even the way maintenance is authorized and completed has changed.
“To hook up to a newer vehicle and look at data, we have to be a certified person, and we have to send all our credentials and info a company that researches and does background checks,” Myers said. “Once approved, they get an authorization code to operate their tools. Once you have been authorized you can do all these repairs.”
Myers said he’s thankful for the Duke Energy Foundation grant and all the doors it will open for students.
“The students said it was a big benefit for them to have this kind of technology that matches what’s on the road today,” he said. “They’re not behind compared to other programs that are out there.”
