Exploring The Future of Electric Vehicles: Imagine What We Can Learn in 2023

Switch Vehicles - The Switch Lab EV education training

Exploring The Future Of Electric Vehicles: Imagine What We Can Learn In 2023

As we move further into the 21st century, the world is facing several challenges related to climate change and the need for sustainable energy sources. One technology that has garnered much attention in recent years is the electric vehicle (EV). While EVs are still a relatively small part of the overall automotive market, they are quickly gaining in popularity. They are seen as a key part of the solution to our environmental challenges.

EVs have the potential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change.

One of the biggest advantages of EVs is their potential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Unlike traditional internal combustion engines, EVs are powered by batteries that can be charged using electricity from various sources, including renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. With the right infrastructure in place, EVs can help reduce our reliance on polluting fossil fuels and help combat climate change.

EVs can improve air quality and reduce air pollution in cities.

Another advantage of EVs is their potential to improve air quality. Because they produce no emissions, EVs can help reduce air pollution in cities, a major health concern. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is responsible for over 7 million deaths yearly, making it one of the leading causes worldwide. By reducing emissions, EVs can help improve air quality and save lives.

The cost of batteries is currently a major challenge for the widespread adoption of EVs.

Despite these advantages, there are still many challenges to overcome for EVs to become more widespread. One of the biggest challenges is the cost of batteries, which are currently one of the most expensive components of EVs. However, as battery technology continues to improve and costs come down, EVs are becoming more affordable and accessible to a wider range of consumers.

The lack of infrastructure to support EVs is also a challenge that needs to be overcome.

Another challenge is the need for infrastructure to support EVs. For EVs to be truly effective, we need to have a network of charging stations so that people can recharge their vehicles when they are on the go. While some charging stations are already in place, there is still a long way to go before we have the infrastructure needed to support widespread EV adoption.

We can expect continued growth in the EV market, battery technology improvements, and infrastructure development to support EVs.

Despite these challenges, the future of EVs looks bright. As battery technology improves and costs continue to come down, more and more people will be able to afford EVs. And as the infrastructure to support EVs continues to develop, we will see more electric vehicles on the road.

So what can we expect in 2023? It’s hard to say for sure, but if current trends continue, we expect to see continued growth in the Electric Vehicle market, with more and more people choosing EVs as their primary mode of transportation. We may also see improvements in battery technology, which could make EVs even more affordable and effective. And with the continued development of infrastructure to support EVs, we can expect to see more charging stations and other support systems in place to help make EV ownership even more convenient.

In short, the future of EVs looks bright, and there is a lot to be excited about. As we move into 2023 and beyond, we can expect continued growth and development in this exciting technology, and we can only imagine what we will learn and discover along the way.

Learn by gaining hands-on experience by building a Switch Vehicle in 2023.

Is this the year you’ll make a switch? We hope so. It’s time to stop feeding fossil fuel companies and to begin an age of renewable energy in our commutes. These vehicles have great potential to take us into the 2030s with grace and substantial fuel savings. This new technology isn’t ahead of its time. It’s right on time.

If you want to purchase a Switch Vehicle for your school, but are concerned about how to obtain training, we offer a comprehensive Switch Vehicles Instructor Training program. These workshops are designed to teach Educators how to assemble the vehicles, problem solve, and promote the STEM Curriculum across the multiple education programs. Teachers love learning how to build our EV assembly kit, for it gets students engaged in something they’re excited to learn!

Upcoming Instructor Training Workshops include the following:

  • January 9, 2023, @ Switch Vehicles Headquarters in Sebastopol, CA
  • January 9, 2023, @ Alamo Colleges – St. Philips College in San Antonio, TX
  • January 23, 2023, @ Red River College Polytechnic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • February 20, 2023, @ Switch Vehicles Headquarters in Sebastopol, CA
  • March 20, 2023, @ Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, CA
  • June 5, 2023, @ A-TEC Academy in Walpole, MA

Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

The Five Most Anticipated EVs of 2023

Here Comes the 2023 EVs

As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to look forward at the year ahead! The Electric Vehicle market is exciting and growing every year– both in what ‘Detroit’ is producing, and new, emerging brands on the market. New designs, new innovations, and new improvements are making EV enthusiasts salivate. Our Las Vegas trip to SEMA was a wonderful experience. We met and worked with some incredible people on their way up in the EV market!

The exchange got us excited– not only for the young generation of teenagers with an active interest in the EV build and repair future, but for the incoming crop of EVs being shown off all around our booth! In particular, 2023 is showing a surprising trend towards affordability. Switch Labs’ time at SEMA gave us a sneak peak at the future of Electric Vehicles in the North American market. We’re very excited for the 2023 lines, and we thought we’d introduce the five EVs we’re most anticipating in the market.

1. The Toyota bZ4X

Toyota is not new to the EV market, and the EVs they offer are not all that surprising for the company’s history and commitment to EV technology. What is surprising is the quality compared to other high-end luxury offerings. A fast-charging, sporty SUV, the bZ4X begins at $42k and has an approximate range of 252 miles per charge. 

2. The Fisker Ocean

Some cars just seem to surpass what you currently hope an EV will be. The Fisker Ocean understands what makes internal combustion cars exciting and fun, and translates that into the EV market. Some of the options offered will turn this roomy SUV into a convertible with one touch of a button. Add to all the things the Ocean offers the price: their most affordable model, the Ocean Sport, retails at $37.5k.

3. The Hyundai IONIQ 6

He Ioniq 6 line’s sleek design, roomy interior, energy efficiency and surprising ticket cost are all fine, but what makes the new Ioniq stand out is the pixel system, using 8-bit concepts that a generation grew up on to queue them into what the car needs. It’s the video game car of the future for Generation X!

4. The Cadillac Lyriq

The first EV Caddy on the market is as stylish as it is innovative, with a brand-new approach to battery construction. A phenomenal range (estimated 312 miles) makes it efficient and gorgeous, for the EV owner who doesn’t want to skimp on grace. Cadillac’s long-standing commitment to gent;e suspension and weight distribution is still in effect in the Lyriq. If you’re interested, start queuing now– the Lyriq has been sold out in pre-orders for some time.

5. The Nissan Ariya

The many different configurations of the Ariya offer range, four wheel drive or all wheel drive (e4ORCE, Nissan’s dual engine AWD system), self-parking systems, 360 degree camera systems, and more, for a range of prices that are well worth the investment.

Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

The Rise of EV Vocational Programs

switch vehicles

The Time Is Right For EV programs

As the future brings us more and more Electric Vehicle options every year, Americans are beginning to recognize that we are swiftly moving into an EV future. This new technology beckons kids with an interest in engineering, repairs, and design. Our goal is to inspire a new generation of tech leaders.

We’re in Las Vegas this week for the SEMA show, where we’re showing off the Switch Labs curriculum to attendees, as well as building actual Switch vehicles right on the floor with volunteers. If you can attend, we highly recommend coming. Even if you don’t get a slot in the building process, it’s easy to see how fun the program is and how inspiring it can be to a younger generation.

We wish we could bring all interested parties to get involved, and to see how the curriculum can inspire and educate a new generation of students to the rise of EV technology and repair. Unfortunately, all we can do is arrange our sessions and invite participants to try the curriculum for themselves, with us teaching through the process in the same syllabus students will learn from one day. It’s important for us to convey that there are ways to bring Switch Labs to your school that will cost less than you think.

COVID Grant Programs

There’s never been a greater time to bring our EV program into your school. Federal grants for COVID-19 relief have created an unclaimed surplus for educators to add Switch Labs to their curriculum. This money sits unused in many cases and could be tapped to bring your students into 21st century technology.

In some states– South Dakota in particular- – these grants are easy to find. South Dakota has been building up an infrastructure for fast-charging EVs, and now, the state is offering COVID-19 relief money to further education and enrichment of South Dakota’s students. Get in touch with us if you’d like to learn more about how your state can take advantage of grant money to bring this new frontier to your students! 

Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

The Top Five Electric Vehicles on the Market

Peter Answering Questions

The Top Five Electric Vehicles on the Market

We’re just one month away from our most important annual event– the SEMA show is coming up next month (November). There are a few differences to this year’s show; for one, the EVs have their very own section, the Electrified Hall. We’ll have our Switch Labs presentation at booth #24731 in the Central Hall. If you’re coming to Las Vegas for SEMA, don’t miss our presentation, which includes an opportunity to work on a real Switch Labs vehicle being assembled in front of attendees.

SHOW HOURS

Tuesday, November 1, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday, November 2, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday, November 3, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday, November 4, 9:00am – 4:00pm

Each year, we get a first-hand look at what the industry has to offer, from the purely conceptional to the next-generation must-haves. We looked for a scaled rating on the top five current electrical vehicles on the market, and found an excellent one in the U.S. News & World Report page. 

If you’re looking to pay the pump back for the overcharging that began with the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, taking the plunge and moving to an EV is an excellent start. Here’s the 5 top-rated EVs on the market currently:

  1. 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo’s luxury electric SUV has a lot going for it. Nimble, beautiful, and with intuitive technology, the XC40 Recharge boasts a perfect safety score, surprising acceleration, great balance. The negatives seem to be limited to a middling range and a smaller cargo hold than its class usually commands.

  1. 2022 Tesla Model S

The 2022 Tesla Model S ranks very high for its unbelievably pickup and speed, as well as its terrific range and fuel economy. However, it’s not as posh as some rivals, and there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay included.

  1. 2023 BMW iX

BMW has set a new bar for luxury electric SUVs with the iX. It has all the speed, function, and luxury you’d want in an SUV and in an EV. Its only drawback is a hefty price tag.

  1. 2022 Lucid Air

The Lucid brand is an astonishing debut at #2. A sleek electric sedan with the elegance of a sports car, the Air offers roomy interior, great pickup, terrific range, and lots of trunk room. But beware of the price tag!

  1. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS

It’s fitting that Mercedes-Benz has produced an EV at the top of the list. It’s got the things you expect in a Mercedes-Benz: the opulence, the roominess, the performance, the oomph… but it also offers an impressive driving range.

Is this the year you’ll make a switch? We hope so. It’s time to stop feeding fossil fuel companies and to begin an age of renewable energy in our commutes. All of these vehicles have great potential to take us into the 2030s with grace and substantial fuel savings. This new technology isn’t ahead of its time. It’s right on time.Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

What Have We Learned in the Last Year About EVs?

Piner High School

 

What Have We Learned in the Last Year About EVs?

As we prepare for this year’s SEMA show, we’re reminded that last year’s gathering contained a lot of new information about innovations and advances in Electric Vehicles. We learned about the growth of the electrical vehicle market, how the government and the public are responding to the shift to electric vehicles, and all the new advances in EV technology.

EV’s Moment is At Hand

Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular. One thing that’s clear is that the electric vehicle market is growing rapidly. In 2020, there were about 2 million electric vehicles on the road, but by 2030, that number is expected to grow to over 140 million. This rapid growth is being driven by a number of factors, including falling battery costs, increasing fuel efficiency, and stricter emissions regulations.

Governments around the world are also beginning to invest in electric vehicles.

For example, China has announced plans to spend over $360 billion on electric vehicles and related infrastructure between 2020 and 2030. And the UK plans to phase out sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040.

The EV industry is beginning to grow exponentially.

The global market for electric vehicles is expected to reach $1.26 trillion by 2030. The public is also beginning to embrace electric vehicles. A recent survey found that about 60% of people would consider buying an electric car in the next five years. This shift is being driven by a number of factors, including falling prices, increasing range, and improved charging infrastructure. General Motors recently announced plans to release a fleet of all-electric pickup trucks in 2021. And Volkswagen plans to release 30 all-electric models by 2025. These new models will help to further accelerate the growth of the electrical vehicle market.

EVs will soon be everywhere.

Buses, boats, trains, and more will soon be relying on renewable energy.  As we move towards a more sustainable future, electric vehicles will play a vital role in every mode of transportation we encounter. EV is the future and it’s arriving very soon.

Components are beginning to become cheaper and more available.

Battery costs for Lithium batteries have dropped 73% since 2010.  In 2016, the cost was $350 per kWh. In 2030, the cost is expected to be $100 per kWh. This price drop is due to advancements in technology and increases in production. The price of an electric vehicle will continue to drop as battery costs decrease. The race is on to create a non-lithium battery that will greatly reduce the price of EVs.  Many different materials are being considered such as: sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, silicon and even air.  The key is to find a way to store more energy in a smaller battery that will last longer and charge faster.

Charging stations are becoming more and more popular across California and the United States.

The number of public stations increased from 8,400 in 2016 to over 16,000 in 2019.  The goal is to have one station for every 10 electric vehicles on the road.  This will allow people to charge their cars while they are away from home and work.

The U.S. EV industry is about to expand and grow.

The industry will need designers, assemblers, and repair workers for this new fleet. This emerging market is open to anyone with the imagination and foresight to get involved now! And in certain states– notably South Dakota with the recent CTE Innovation Equipment Grant– there’s been a big push for offering EV tech classes in high schools. This modern innovation is moving into places it never has before, and at Switch, we are here for it!Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

Does Your Young Adult’s School Need an EV Program?

It’s no secret that the world is moving towards electric vehicles.  Electric vehicles are not only more environmentally-friendly, but they’re also cheaper to operate and maintain than traditional gasoline-powered cars. So it’s no surprise that many schools are considering adding electric vehicle charging stations to their campuses. If your child’s school is one of them, you may be wondering why they need an EV program.

It’s estimated that by 2030 there will be over 250 million electric cars on the road. That’s a lot of charging stations!  Electric vehicles are the future, and it’s important for our children to be prepared for this new technology.

If your school doesn’t have an Electric Vehicle Charging Station yet, it’s time to make the switch. Switch Labs can help you get set up with the best Electric Vehicle Charging Station for your needs and budget.

Not only is this great for the environment, but it’s also a great way to teach STEM education in a hands-on way.Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

Summer Vacations in the EV Generation

electric vehicle charging

As the summer comes to the Northern Hemisphere again, with the war in Ukraine, gas prices are at an all-time high that seems unconnected to the cost of oil by the barrel. In simplest terms, we are being ripped off at the pump right now, and it seems likely they’ll continue to cheat us for the foreseeable future. Considering how much of the oil industry is underwritten by our own government, it’s disgraceful to see gas prices climbing as high as $6 or more, and strange to see the loyalty customers have for the combustion engine range. At Switch Labs, we hope the American people will not forget this betrayal when it comes time to purchase their next vehicle, or in their ballot box. 

In this age of advancing EV technology, one of the primary hurdles for selling EV technology has been the fear of running out of energy on a trip. We prefer the range of combustion engines, the convenience of limited stops on our travels, and quick refueling. EV support for long road trips may seem dangerous, especially in the deserts of the southwest. No one wants to risk being standard with a ‘bricked’ vehicle.

Even though the situation seems precarious, the truth is that EV charging is possible in most modern cities, and our highway system makes it possible to get from EV station to station. There are three levels of EV charging: household charging, standard charging, and supercharging. The first two are available practically everywhere now if you know where to look. The third one requires knowing specific locations and the site traffic level.

But this problem is relatively easy to overcome! Mobile apps are available that can help guide you safely to recharging stations all across the country. For example, PlugShare provides locations for all three charging types across the continental U.S. highway system. With some planning, you can set a route with minimal recharging and complete confidence in your journey. 

Combined with sites like Roadtrippers, you can map your course with time to charge your vehicle. In addition, RV campsites can provide a helping hand when no actual station charging is available, with outlets accessible to your car. If you have an EV, take advantage of this and the technology– and renewable energy– at your disposal, and get out on the open road again this summer without fear of the pump!

Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

We Can Do It: Why Young People Love Our Program

There are many hallmarks of an excellent educational program for educators, elements that make young people fall in love with their coursework. When a subject engages the young people with the material they find interesting and timely, empowers them to grow as people, and challenges them to accomplish something they might not otherwise believe they could achieve, they’re apt to fall in love.

And those subjects are likely to stay with students for years to come. And sometimes, these programs have the power to give a student direction in an otherwise uncertain future. Consider the programs that your students love and cherish the most, and you’ll likely find these three elements at play.  

Engagement

The first is that a loved program must engage the students. It’s something interesting, something that perhaps even their parents have not discovered. It’s got an element of the future to it — their future — and they can see the study as part of their life history.

Empowerment

The second is that it empowers students to do something they didn’t think they could do. For some groups, that’s a challenge like riding a zip line. For others, it’s working together to solve the puzzles that will allow them to find their way out of an escape room. The Switch Lab seminar challenges them to work together as a team to build a working car!

Challenge

The third is that it challenges students to use their teamwork, physical strength, and mental prowess to accomplish a task through cooperation while learning about the steps as they take them. Beyond being a test, this part of education is what students will retain the most: practical experience in problem-solving in a unique field.

The Switch Labs curriculum offers students all three of these essential elements. It challenges, empowers, and engages students in the world of Electric Vehicle repair and assembly. That’s why students love our program so much; it sees their potential and offers them a pioneer place in the future of technology.

Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

The Advantages of Ditching Internal Combustion

The Many Advantages of the End of Internal Combustion Engines

There are so many advantages to ending the century-old fixation on combustion-based machines. In a century, our descendants will marvel that such a thing ever existed. “The engine actually explodes?!?” It’s time to grow beyond combustion when we create forward momentum, as the technology is available to us now. 

There are numerous reasons to end the dependency of our nation’s workforce on fossil fuels. One key reason is the environmental crisis that decades of unchecked car emissions have created.

Environmental Collapse is Imminent.

The dinosaurs are extinct– but they didn’t wipe themselves out by consuming more than their share of the Earth’s rich resources. Their bodies shrank into the ground and, over millions of years, became the very oil that this planet’s apex predator, human beings, now consume at an irresponsible rate. There’s been so much talk in recent years about weather patterns and the eroding arctic shelf, but in the last two years that has ramped up significantly. Global warming is no joke. It is real, and it is coming to disrupt the American way of life significantly, and make some coastal cities uninhabitable.

Most states aren’t doing much, but we’re pleased to say that California is taking some steps in the near future. On a recent viewing of the masters, Mercedes Benz advertised their entire electric line– and ONLY their electric line. That’s huge progress. But likely, it’s too little, too late to save the way of life we now know. As a species, we’ve put off a solution so long in the name of unchecked capitalism that we’re trapped– climate change is coming, and it will render areas like Miami uninhabitable. 

Humanity won’t walk away from global warming unscathed, but we can limit the damage by acting soon. We are the first species forced to deal with conditions we created that may make life grim. What we can do is make that period of misery shorter as we search for a way to reverse the damage we have done. The elimination of cars that accelerate carbon monoxide production will help us reach that goal.

We’ve Stayed with Internal Combustion Technology for Way Too Long.

After 100 years, the only real reason we are still stuck on combustion engines is that oil companies have worked to suppress electric vehicle technology. We could have also switched to pure electric in the car manufacturer collapse of 2008– but we didn’t. The reticence of moving to electric vehicles has given companies like ours wind for our sails.

The time to embrace this technology is now, and work to make sure we are not made dependent on finite, controlled resources again, so that our technology follows this trend and develops a better option to the electric someday. 

The Incentives Are On Their Way

As the U.S. government works to switch us to Electric Vehicles, there will likely be more and more incentives to tip the balance. Beginning with improved parking spaces and possibly continuing with queue preference and on to tax breaks, there will come a time when the cost of maintaining an internal combustion engine will be far more than owning an electric one– and that time is fast approaching.

It’s Time to Consider New Energy and New Ideas.

Moving on from internal combustion will allow us to start developing better renewable-energy technology. This is our pre-crisis moment, where the smart folks will move to electric as soon as possible and begin to work with renewable energy in their daily lives (solar powered roofing, for instance). And Switch is teaching this technology to a generation of young students!

Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.

Bonding: Parents, Children, and the EV Kit

Lately, in our blog, we’ve gone over many of the perks of taking our Switch Labs course, primarily for the kids that attend, and how it will benefit them in the future. One area we haven’t touched on is how it helps adults, too– specifically, those connected to the kids going through the experience.

How the Switch Labs program improves the bond between teacher and student is evident to anyone who attends our training sessions. Although we mainly market our curriculum to teachers in schools, where we can teach to classrooms full of kids and develop the teacher/student bonds, we also offer the experience to parents who want a challenging project with their kid, one that they’ll remember long after the child has become an adult.

When kids hit their teens, there’s a disconnect with authority they place in their parents as they prepare to leave the branch out on their own. Seeing the world on equal ground forever changes the dynamic between child and parent. If you are reaching the point where your kid will soon be a full-grown adult, out of the home and on their own, you may have a dimly-remembered list of the things you always meant to do but didn’t do together– plans you made and never had time to accomplish, like writing a book, building a treehouse, a Wendy House, or designing a go-kart. 

Those kinds of bonding experiences can slip through our fingers so quickly, and we don’t even recognize them until the time has long passed. Looking back generation-to-generation at the moments we missed, the lesson is to seize these moments when we can. The time we have gets eaten up so quickly in the daily grind of work, the procession of routine, and even in the glee of a family vacation. Working together on a unique project is different from time off together. It’s not just existing or being happy; it’s growing together.

If you have a son or daughter interested in technology and cars, our Switch Labs curriculum is an amazing journey you can take with them. Learning how an electric vehicle works and wiring on together with you to a schematic will teach them more than just how to assemble a car; it will teach them how to learn cooperatively, how mistakes can teach us solutions, how to manage our pride, and to change roles (from parent and child to supervisor and worker). 

We’d love to allow you and your growing child to bond on a new-tech project together. Our reusable EV Kit is ideal for students interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. The Switch Lab teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. Contact us today to learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school.