Journal Staff
A team of Sarnia high school students and their energy efficient vehicle are headed to California for an international competition.
Northern Collegiate is the only Canadian high school participating at the Shell Eco-marathon in Sonoma, California, where it will compete against universities and colleges from North and South America.
The Shell Eco-marathon requires students to design, build and test ultra-energy-efficient cars that push the boundaries of what is technically possible.
Team Northern’s “Rover” is powered by a one-cylinder lawnmower engine that achieved 422 miles per gallon in the gasoline prototype category at last year’s competition.
This year, the students have added custom-made engine components and a GPS tracking system.
The vehicle was showcased at the Sarnia Sting hockey game March 14 at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
More than 1,000 students from across the Americas are expected to gather April 19-22 with their custom-designed vehicles at Sonoma Raceway.