Teacher Resources
Everything you need to facilitate the 30-minute EV Build Challenge — illustrated component guide, session delivery tips, and a printable safety checklist.
Kit Components
Know your parts before the session
DC Motor
12V brushed, 150W
- ·The shaft must rotate freely — spin it by hand before class.
- ·Motor terminals are labelled + and −; reversing them reverses direction.
- ·A slight burnt-plastic smell on first run is normal (varnish curing).
Battery Pack
12V 7Ah SLA
- ·Check resting voltage with a multimeter — must be ≥ 12 V.
- ·Handle by the body; never carry by the terminals.
- ·Dispose via school e-waste — do not put in general waste.
Motor Controller (ESC)
30A PWM
- ·Amber LED flash at power-on is the self-test — normal.
- ·Continuous beeping = low battery. Swap immediately.
- ·Do not run at > 50 % throttle on the bench without a load.
Facilitation Guide
Session structure
Before the session · ~10 minutes
Complete these steps before students arrive in the room.
Charge batteries the night before
Connect each SLA battery to the supplied charger for 6–8 hours. The green LED on the charger indicates a full charge. A fully charged 12 V SLA reads ≥ 12.7 V at rest.
Lay out one kit per group
Groups of 1–3 students work best. Unbox each kit and place components in the order students will use them: chassis first, then motor assembly, battery, and controller.
Complete the safety checklist
Work through the interactive safety checklist (below on this page) before students enter the room. Print a completed copy for your records.
Brief students on the activity
Spend 5 minutes introducing the three components and what each does. Show the EV car on the landing page as a real-world context. Explain the safety rules — PPE on before they touch anything.
Pre-Activity
Safety Checklist
Complete all items before beginning the build challenge. 0 / 21 checked.