Redwood’s Auto Shop Tests Out Electric Vehicle Curriculum

Written by: Nick Schonken

Cover photo provided by Connor Richard.

During the 2021-2022 school year, Redwood’s Auto Shop began trial runs of a new curriculum centered around electric vehicles.

Redwood’s Auto Shop is run by Ken Cox, who has spent, “decades in the automotive industry, working in auto parts stores, repair facilities, warehouse distributors and engine rebuilding machine shops”, according to an interview conducted by Harbor Freight after he won a 2019 prize in Automotive Technology.

Cox says that the program allows participants to learn the “safest ways to diagnose and service Hybrid and Electric vehicles.”

Cox continues by saying that at the end of the course, “students who have completed all the work… earn an Industry Recognized Certificate that they can include in their resume.”

The course occurs on Saturdays, and Cox says because of that he, “[hasn’t] integrated it into the regular curriculum (yet).”

Connor Richard, ’24, who is a student in the class, says, “I enjoy the class very much” and “do not mind getting up at early hours [on] Saturdays to attend it.”

Richard continues by saying, “the course so far is learning from the book, Hybrid Systems Diagnostics by ATG or Automotive Training Group, although the hands-on activities will be coming soon.”

Cox says that he does not have an opinion on the course yet.

Cox continues by saying, “I am learning the material right along with the students. I will be able to assess the course after we finish. The students are often times overwhelmed by the technical language, but the authors do use some humor to lighten the mood, so I don’t feel like the kids are “checking-out”.  We are just now getting into the part of the text where the actual work on the vehicles begins. So we’ll see how things go over the next few classes.”

Tags: Auto Shop, cars, Conner Richard, Electric Vehicles, EV, Ken Cox, Nick Schonken, Redwood