Little Rock, Ark. — April 14, 2015 — The 12th Annual Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas Electric
Vehicle Rally will be held on Friday, April 17 at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. The
contest will include more than 243 participants representing 14 schools around the state.
“This year we have a record number of participants which reflects the growing interest in electric
vehicle technology,” said Rob Roedel, manager of corporate communications for the Electric
Cooperatives of Arkansas. “Today’s students thirst for innovative hands-on learning opportunities that
challenge their ingenuity and encourage creativity. The electric vehicle curriculum provides these
opportunities for hundreds of students in Arkansas.”
The students are involved in the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas Electric Vehicle program that
includes a curriculum that incorporates a variety of disciplines, including math, auto mechanics,
physics, engineering, electronics and journalism. Students participate in competitions that test the
students’ abilities and their vehicles’ performance capacities. The public is invited to attend the free
rally events that begin at 9 a.m.
The day-long event begins with technical and safety inspections of the student vehicles. Students are
then focused on an autocross competition and acceleration event. Next, the helmets are unstrapped as
the students test their academic knowledge in troubleshooting and quiz bowl competitions. The day
wraps up with a race to determine how far the vehicles run on a single charge. On-track and pit lane
strategies are a key to winning this event.
Participants in this year’s rally include: Arkansas Career Training Institute; Cabot High School; Central
Jr. High (Springdale); Fayetteville High School – Agriculture; Fayetteville High School –Digital
Electronics; George Jr. High (Springdale); Hamburg High School; Hillcrest High School; Mabelvale Jr.
High; Paragould High School; Ramay Jr. High (Fayetteville); Joe T. Robinson High School; Viola High
School; and Woodland Jr. High (Fayetteville).
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise 17 electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas
Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides services to the
distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC), a generation and
transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to approximately 500,000
homes, farms and businesses in Arkansas and surrounding states.
