Workforce Development
To make electric vehicles as convenient and affordable as current conventional vehicles, America must have a strong workforce to develop, build, repair, and respond to these vehicles. The Department has a number of programs focused on education and training of present and future engineers, mechanics, and first responders.
University Programs
- EcoCAR 2: Plugging Into the Future: A three-year collegiate competition that challenges 15 North American universities to reduce the environmental impact of a Chevrolet Malibu without compromising performance, safety, and consumer acceptability.
- Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE): This program supports Centers of Excellence at American colleges, universities, and university-related research institutions. These Centers establish and/or expand graduate course study and laboratory work in multidisciplinary advanced vehicle areas, including hybrid propulsion, energy storage, and lightweight materials.
Professional Development
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP): Clean Cities, in the Vehicle Technologies Office, supports EVITP's efforts to provide training and certification for people installing electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE, also known as electric vehicle chargers).
- EVSE Residential Charging Installation introductory videos: Clean Cities provides a video introduction to installing EVSE in eight parts on its YouTube channel.
- Electric Vehicle Safety Training for First Responders: Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Office supported the development of a full curriculum for training first responders (firefighters and police) by the National Fire Protection Association on how to respond to accidents involving plug-in electric vehicles.