By Sheri Gibbs | DFW Newsflash | October 2019
Irving — The North Irving Transit Center served as the hub for electric vehicle creators, distributors, and enthusiasts during the National Drive Electric Week Car Show on Saturday, Sept. 21.
People had opportunities to test drive the industry’s newest electric vehicle models, including the BMW I8, Tesla Model X, and Karma GT. Daily commuter vehicles were at the event including the Kia Soul, Nissan Leaf, and the Chevrolet Volt.
The event also showcased unique vehicles like a hand-built solar car made by the Robotics Team at Winston High School. The car will be presented as their entry for the 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition, a nation-wide student competition. The car, named Sol 3, is scheduled for multiple revisions before the upcoming competition in July to help increase speed and steering.
“[We are] adding a fifth panel for a 20 percent power increase, lighter batteries, and adjusting the wheel alignment for less rolling resistance,” Triton Shoup, the team captain for Winston High School said.
Teen solar car enthusiast Adam Lansing constructed his first solar car after learning about an electric car conversion professional.
“I saw a guy named John Waylon in Portland, OR when I was 11 years old, sitting on my grandma’s couch,” Lansing said. “I see this car called the White Zombie. It went 0-60 in 1.2 seconds, and I thought, I can do that.”
Lansing brought his converted electric VW Beetle to the event, which has about 200 horsepower and can go from 0-60 mph in approximately four seconds. The Beetle has a fingerprint start and 350 ft/lbs of instant torque. Lansing plans to continue converting classic model cars to electric vehicles to offer green alternatives.
