Move over Nissan! Sunderland pupils build car of the future

Bournmoor Primary School green car competition winners
Teacher Oliver Seaton — Bournmoor Primary School green car competition winners Teacher Oliver Seaton

Children at Bournmoor Primary School won a competition through Newcastle University to win a Greenpower Goblin car, which they will be racing later this year.

The pupils were thrilled to take delivery of the £1,250 life-size kit car and teacher Oliver Seaton said being able to work with his class on such an amazing project has been a dream come true.

Bournmoor Primary School green car competition winners

He said: “We have done a lot of work on STEM subjects and this is the icing on the cake.

“It has been brilliant for the children, they can’t stop talking about it.”

The car is almost complete and needs to be moved out of the classroom before the body is finished.

Mr Seaton said the vehicle will take up residence in the school hall while the children continue to test drive it ready for taking part in races, including at the Croft circuit in June and at Rockingham Raceway in July.

To win the prize the children had to come up with their idea of what a car would be like in 2050. They created drawings and a Lego model of what their future car would be and turned it all into a poster.

Mr Seaton said the vehicle, which is powered by a 12v car battery, arrived flat packed and so far the children have spent at least ten hours putting it together, including wiring it up.

Dr James Widmer, an electrical engineer with the Newcastle University, went along to the Lambourne Close school in Houghton, to run a workshop with the pupils.

Mr Seaton added: “All children in Years 4 and 5 had the chance to assemble part of the car, using a range of hand tools and working from detailed instructions.”

He said the school is also hoping car giant Nissan, will help the children with designing and creating the bodywork for their car.

Once the racing is over, Mr Seaton said the plan is the dismantle the car so that future years groups can have the chance to experience building it themselves.

The Greenpower Goblin cars are part of The Greenpower Education Trust’s objective to advance education in the subjects of sustainable engineering and technology to young people.