Utah Teens to Build Real Electric Car This Summer

This summer, a group of Utah high schoolers won't just learn about electric vehicles. They'll actually build one they can drive.

ASPIRE, a National Science Foundation research center at Utah State University, has launched a five-day Summer EV Academy where 15 students will assemble a real street-legal electric vehicle. The program runs July 27-31 at the university's Electric Vehicle and Roadway facility in North Logan.

Students will work with professional-grade equipment and platforms from Switch Vehicles Inc., getting their hands on everything from electrical wiring to battery systems. It's the kind of experience most engineering students don't get until college, if at all.

"As a high school student, this would have been a wonderful opportunity to not just hear about engineering in the classroom but to actually see the engineering environment," said Sally Vogel, an electrical engineer at ASPIRE who recently graduated from USU. She knows firsthand how rare it is for teens to work with real technology instead of textbooks.

The program tackles the practical skills students need for careers in electric transportation. They'll learn electrical system integration, battery fundamentals, and how different vehicle components work together to create a functioning car.

What makes this different from typical STEM camps is the real-world application. Students aren't building models or simulations—they're constructing an actual vehicle that will start, drive, and operate like any car on the road.

The Ripple Effect

The academy arrives at a crucial moment for the electric vehicle industry. As transportation shifts toward electrification, there's a growing need for engineers, technicians, and specialists who understand these systems.

Programs like this create pathways for students to explore careers in advanced manufacturing and energy systems before they even graduate high school. Jennifer Taylor, director of pre-college engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, notes that project-based learning builds the confidence and problem-solving skills employers actually value.

By giving students access to university facilities and professional-grade technology, the program also shows them what resources exist in their own community. That knowledge could shape their decisions about college and careers for years to come.

Applications are open now through June 1 for students entering grades 9-12. The program is free and includes access to ASPIRE's state-of-the-art facility and expert mentorship from researchers who work on electrification full-time.

For 15 lucky students, this summer break will include something most people never experience: saying they built and test-drove an electric car before getting their driver's license.