Events
Electric Vehicles Celebrated at Wake Tech
RALEIGH, N.C. (September 28, 2024) – Wake Tech celebrated electric vehicles and their advantages Saturday during an EV car show at the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence on Scott Northern Wake Campus.
Held in conjunction with National Drive Electric Week, the event drew 150 guests and EV enthusiasts interested in learning about EV technology and excited for the opportunity to test drive some of the latest models to hit Wake County roads.
A variety of EVs test drive vehicles were provided by event co-sponsors Hendrick Chevrolet Southpoint, Leith BMW Raleigh, Leigh Nissan Cary and Westgate. Visitors also toured the Hendrick Center to get a better view of the state-of-the-art facility where Wake Tech students are learning about EV maintenance in the Automotive Systems Technology and Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology programs.
"The goal of National Drive Electric Week is to bring people together to learn more about the current state and future of EVs," said Rick Sapienza, Wake Tech's dean of Transportation Technologies and director of the Hendrick Center. "By hosting an on-campus event, we have an opportunity to introduce our guests to Wake Tech's state-of-the-art facilities, demonstrate our commitment to high-quality education and point to our focus of keeping EVs on the road."
More than 80,000 EVs are registered in North Carolina. And Wake Tech continues to emerge as a national leader in EV training. Earlier this year, the college was awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education grant to jump start an advanced certificate program to train automotive students how to safely maintain and repair electric and hybrid vehicles.
Wake Tech is also leading the way by upskilling technicians to work on the growing number of electric vehicle charging station across the Triangle. In July, nine students completed a first-of-its-kind, six-week Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Field Technician Certification program. The goal is to train students in the installation and maintenance of EV charging stations.
National Drive Electric Week was founded in 2011 by Plug In America in partnership with the Sierra Club and the Electric Vehicle Association.
To learn more about Wake Tech’s transportation programs, visit transportation.waketech.edu.
