Automotive team gets Lightning Queens on the track

A race team of students from Queen’s High School hit the track last month, in a go-kart built with the help of our Automotive Engineering team.

‘The Lightning Queens’ put their go-kart to the test in the EVolocity South Island Regional Finals at KartSport Canterbury.  It's a nationwide school engineering programme which sees Year 7–13 students design, build, and race single-seat electric go-karts and bikes.

As first-time entrants, Queen’s High School reached out to Otago Polytechnic for some external expertise and support to help bring the project to life. OP leadership also provided branded t-shirts for The LIghtning Queens to wear proudly at the competition.

Automotive Engineering Lecturer Jarrod McCrorie became their key contact, working together with Farra Engineering and Queen’s teachers to support the students.

“Their willingness to share their knowledge, expertise and time was invaluable in helping the girls turn an ambitious idea into reality,” says Mandy McAlwee, Pathways / Gateway teacher at Queen’s High School.

“What started as an opportunity to challenge a small group of students grew into something much bigger, providing them with real-world learning experiences, connections with industry and a sense of achievement that extended well beyond the classroom," says Mandy.

The girls also met with Katie Gotlieb, a female engineer from Farra Engineering, who provided guidance around their initial ideas and design considerations.

The students were involved throughout the project, from the initial planning and design discussions through to construction, problem-solving and preparing the vehicle for competition.

Their vehicle incorporated a steel frame, aluminium components repurposed from bicycles, and a custom seat frame and roll cage.

With sustainability and recycling a key goal of EVolocity, Jarrod says his team was able to repurpose donated materials to build the kart, including using an old mobility scooter chassis and bikes to make the main assembly.

“It’s been great being able to contribute and help the students out along the way, and I’ve really enjoyed seeing the project come together,” he says.

Mandy was grateful to the Otago Polytechnic team for providing invaluable technical guidance, mentoring and encouragement throughout the project.

“Having access to people with industry knowledge was incredibly beneficial, particularly as many of the girls were learning engineering and fabrication concepts for the first time,” says Mandy.

“And rather than simply fixing the problem for the girls, he helped them understand the engineering principles behind it and encouraged them to work through the solution themselves.”

She says partnerships like these help the students make connections between what they're doing at school and the tertiary study and training pathways available to them.

“Sometimes all it takes is one positive hands-on experience to open a student's eyes to a career they had never previously considered,” she says.

The EVolocity event itself in late October provided the chance to put their go-kart to the test on the track, racing against teams from across the South Island.

Another highlight there was getting to meet and chat with Dunedin-based rally driver Emma Gilmour.

“Having the opportunity to connect with a successful woman in motorsport was incredibly special and reinforced the message that there are exciting opportunities for young women in automotive, engineering and motorsport,” says Mandy.