West Philadelphia High School’s quest to build the fastest clean car.
Inquirer staff writer Akweli Parker spent several months with the students of West Philadelphia High School's Academy for Automotive and Mechanical Engineering. Their goal: To win the Tour de Sol, a competition for the best builders of alternative fuel vehicles.
One of the most impressive cars at this week's Philadelphia Auto Show doesn't come from Japan, Germany or Detroit. It came from the auto shop at West Philadelphia High School, it delivers more horsepower than some Porsches and gets gas mileage comparable to a Toyota Prius. Oh, and It runs on fuel made from soybeans.
The students of West Philadelphia High School road test their garage-built creation - and run smack into a huge snag.
Students at West Philadelphia High School's Auto Academy face a challenge of a non-automotive natuer. Who will be selected to go to this year's Tour de Sol in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.?
A final test of mind, spirit - and car
If the team won a second Tour de Sol victory, there'd be scholarships and well-paying jobs in the auto industry for students, and badly needed sponsorships for the financially strapped school. But high-tech competitors are on another level.
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