Our high school Experimental Vehicle Team can compete at the highest levels of engineering because of three
things: dedication, talent and teamwork. They proved this in April of 2025 and are already back at work to make
the 2026 vehicles even more remarkable.
It was our third year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Shell Eco-Marathon in April of 2025. Met with rain,
cold and wind, the team had to make on the spot corrections and decisions to waterproof the vehicles so they
could safely and successfully run them on the track. Nine team members traveled to undergo grueling inspections
of the vehicles and intense presentations to the judges. Rain would not be what stopped them!
EVT entered two vehicles into the competition, an urban concept hydrogen fuel-cell and a battery electric
prototype. Both vehicles performed extremely well, taking first place in both categories. The team showed up
prepared and ready to work with the judges and offer support to the teams they were up against.
Our garage was a
constant flurry of activity with other teams asking questions about our building process, questions about our
sponsors, and about the space in which we have to build these incredible vehicles. The team gladly chatted with
visiting teams, helped other teams overcome obstacles in tech inspection, and made valuable connections with
schools all across the Americas. The Shell Eco-Marathon team took notice of the vehicles, the knowledge of our
students, and the numbers the vehicles were producing – the prototype performed at an exceptional 212
kilometers per kilowatt-hour placing first in an incredibly competitive category. Most notably, the team was
honored to receive the Qatar Auto Museum Design Award for the urban concept vehicle. The months of detailed
and, at times, frustrating, work rewarded with this prestigious award.
We proudly displayed the urban concept vehicle at the Minnesota State Fair. The vehicle drew in many visitors
who were astonished at the amount of time our students spend building the vehicle from the ground up (over
1,000 hours of labor per car), and the invaluable hands-on lessons the team experiences each day. Visitors to our
school linger in the Innovation Center to look at the vehicles, to watch the build process, and to ask questions
about what it takes to make a vehicle. We absolutely could not provide this amazing education if it weren’t for our
sponsors. Thank you for your monetary donations, your donation of time and talent, and the donation of supplies
needed to build these vehicles. We couldn’t do this without your support! We cannot wait to reveal the 2026
vehicles and results. Thank you for helping to provide this opportunity for our students. PSR
