Team Marine Goes Electric

Samo’s Team Marine completed converting a Fossil fuel-powered 1971 red convertible Volkswagen Super Beetle into a Zero emissions electric vehicle on Monday, Sept. 17 after four years of hard work, according to the Team Marine website.According to Team Marine adviser Benjamin Kay, the Poon-Fear family donated the car to the club in 2009 on the condition that the members of Team Marine would convert it into an all-electric vehicle or different kind of a sustainable car.“Before [the Poon-Fear family] donated the car, they called me on the phone and said ‘Ben, we heard that you’re crazy, and that you do crazy projects withe students,’” Kay said. “I was like ‘Yeah, that’s about right.’ and they went on to donate this car to us.”According to Kay, the club received assistance from former Auto Shop teacher Dan Cox, and many grants from donors and environmental partners such as Plug-In America, the Wells Fargo Foundation, Trexa, Alliance for Climate Education, QuikSCience, TeenNick, Left Coast Electric, the city of Santa Monica and Gas to Electric Conversions.“With all the donations we were able to buy an electric motor, lithium iron phosphate batteries, various other smaller parts and pieces, as well as propaganda for our outreach materials [such as] pamphlets, pop-up banners [and] a tent with the logos on it,” Kay said. “We didn’t want to weigh down the car with the standard lead acid batteries, so we decided to go for the lithium iron phosphate batteries, which are very high-tech, light and some of the most efficient batteries on the market. They allow for a wider mileage range, which is really great."Now that the car is finished, Team Marine has taken it to four auto shows, and it also stands as a lesson plan on wheels, in which the team takes it to schools to teach students about the health, economic and environmental benefits of electric vehicles, according to Kay.“We are now able [to] display our work and spread what we’ve accomplished as a positive influence to younger and older generations alike,” Team Marine member Valentina Probosz (’15) said. “Overall, I’m very hopeful that the car will speak for us on the issues of climate change and future alternatives for fossil fuels.”Team Marine members Kimberly Fuentes (’15), Jazmin Carvajal (’15) and Patricio Gruerro (’12) were also featured on CNN Latino promoting the use of alternative energy.“It was great to be able to talk about our experiences [with Team Marine], and to show our enthusiasm for driving electric,” Fuentes said. “We talked less about the [technology related] stuff, and more about the message in it, which is that we want to see change happen. We are very passionate about this car because it shows that the youth care about and are conscious about the environment.”According to Kay, the club wants to be on T.V. and to speak with other authoritative figures like President Obama so that it can get the word out about climate change. The team has also received an official city commendation from Mayor Pro Tempore Terry O’Day and the City Council, acknowledging the students for their work with the electric car, Volts Wattson.“Our plans are just to get the word out as far as we can,” Kay said. “Hopefully we can have lunch with Obama, and maybe Oprah, or Ellen. We’re going big because we like the news exposure, not because we want to be famous, but because we want to leverage media to promote the cause and raise awareness about this big solution for helping the planet.”According to Probosz, the publicity and completion of the car means more work, and more success for Team Marine.“We want to share the possibility for change with other [members of the community] in every way we can.” Probosz said. “People’s interest in the car and the process of our conversion has really given Team Marine the motivation to continue our work. We are making a difference in our community and spreading the movement toward a greener future.”