School district gets new electric vehicle for driver’s education class

On Aug 24, 2022

BATESVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) – Those learning to drive on the road will have some new technology to deal with.

The Wood Family Dealerships presented a 2022 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle to students at the Batesville High School Carter Drivers Education class.

According to the Batesville School District, in 2017, BHSC committed to clean energy by implementing over 1,400 solar panels in the school district with the goal of increasing teacher pay and all-around energy efficiency.

Officials claimed the addition of the Bolt is just another step toward that goal.

“The electric vehicle is very viable in today’s world and it’s a vehicle that our students could own and use on a daily basis to be very successful with,” said principal and former school board president, Scott Wood.

Driver’s education instructor, Neely Norwood, said with the addition, students would still be taught how to check their oil and pump gas with the other driver’s education vehicle in their fleet. She added gas vehicle safety is just as important as looking at what the future holds for the vehicle industry.

“This is kind of a head-start learning opportunity for the students to get into the electric vehicles,” Norwood explained.

Senior Kendall Box expressed her excitement to be in the class and among the first of the students to experience the Bolt.

“I think it’s super beneficial for our school and just utilizing energy and keeping it up and it’s also super beneficial for our community in doing everything we can to utilize energy and going forward with the future,” she said.

Officials said the student will spend the first 20 hours of the class learning about vehicle safety before they take the road. Students will then learn how to check the oil, change a flat tire, and parallel park.