Maine Energy Education Program - Creating an Energy Literate Citizenry

A treasure trove of energy activities	Maine Energy Education Program
	P.O. Box 728 Parsonsfield, ME 04047	(207) 625-7833 (207) 287-4855 meep@psouth.net
	Committed to Producing an Energy Literate Citizenry

Getting Around Without Gasoline

Electrathon Maine:
Not Your Average
High School Class Project

"Electrathon? It's like a soap box derby with electric motors, (employing) seat-of-the-pants
physics and real world economics
.....and we save the planet!"

Electrathon vehicles look a lot like fancy go-karts --- with batteries. An Electrathon race, whether on an oval or road coarse, lasts one hour. The challenge is to use as much of the batteries' energy as possible --- but not before the final flag drops!

The sport had its beginnings in England in the 80's, then migrated to the US by way of Australia. Its initial advocates were middle-aged racing buffs, but high schools in diverse sections of the country have embraced the program because of its emphasis on real world science. Students design and build these cars, then race them to test the efficacy of their labors.

Electrathon was introduced to Maine in 1994. MEEP has coordinated Electrathon Maine since 1996 with a goal of educating participants about larger transportation issues, such as alternative fuels and air quality.

The basic rules of Electrathon are:

64 pounds of lead acid batteries
3 or 4 wheels (16" minimum)
Drivers carry ballast so they weigh 180 pounds
Drivers must have a valid driver's license
For safety, cars must have seat belts and roll bars, and drivers wear a helmet.

For more information about Electrathon, please contact the Maine Energy Education Program by phone, (207) 625-7833 or email meep@psouth.net.

Electrathon Links:

National Electrathon orginazation: www.ElectrathonAmerica.org
Website maintained for the New England teams by Michael Lewis of Portland: www.electrathonnewengland.org