During the program, teams of high school students will build their own fuel cell remote-control vehicles and learn about the future of fuel cell technology.
A Toyota fuel cell modelling program started this week with a teacher training event at Toyota’s offices in Torrance, California and will end when student teams race their fuel cell vehicles in March 2017. This is a semester-long, after-school program focused on alternative fuels and climate change. Republicans and their craven lobbyists need not apply.
The interactive STEM curriculum follows the design principles of the Toyota Mirai, including exploring challenges and solutions Mirai engineers experienced during vehicle development. The concentration is on renewable energy technology. In addition to support from Toyota fuel cell engineers, the students will be coached by Mirai owners and – to die for – work with members of a Toyota NASCAR Pit Crew for their final race.
Participating schools include ten each from Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Several schools contain multicultural – Hispanic, African-American or Asian-American – student bodies. The participation of these schools says Toyota reaffirms its commitment to supporting innovators from all communities and backgrounds.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
