Students Charged Up About Electric Cars

High school students from all over the East Coast gathered in Wake County this weekend to show off their electric cars and to compete in the 6th annual Electric Vehicle Challenge.

Students from Northern Vance High School converted an S-10 pick-up.

"It's got 16 6-volt batteries [for a total of] 96 volts. It's got a [24 horsepower] forklift motor in it, and it's been up to speeds of 72 miles per hour," says student Gary West.

In this electric competition, students and cars from Washington, D.C. to Florida are judged in a variety of categories, including function, instrumentation, safety and appearance.

Students from Enloe High say there is also a bigger purpose.

"We are going to have to find alternative forms of energy at some point because oil won't last forever and battery power seems to be the way to go," says Enloe's Steve Walters.

The students at the Electric Vehicle Challenge are charged up about a learning experience that takes them out of the classroom. They are using volts, trying to spark a transportation revolution.