Electrathon raceElectrathon race
Electric race cars zip past a course worker on April 27, 2024, during an Electrathon race at Florida State College at Jacksonville. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

Electrathon racers will zip around FSCJ on Saturday

Published on January 9, 2025 at 11:23 am
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Electrathon racing will return to Florida State College at Jacksonville on Saturday. Student-built electric race cars tackle a road course at the school’s Jacksonville-Cecil Center on POW-MIA Memorial Parkway.

FSCJ’s Automotive Technology Department partners with Electrathon of Tampa Bay to run the race. The first heat will be at 10 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m. 

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The race is one of a number held annually across the state, with teams from multiple high schools and colleges. The Electrathon series will return April 5 to FSCJ’s Downtown campus.

The racing series started in 1980 as a fun way to educate students about electric cars through hands-on design, fabrication and competition. The 160-pound race cars can hit 60 mph, powered by two lead-acid or lithium-Ion batteries.

Robert Wechsler, professor in the Automotive Technology Department at Florida State College at Jacksonville, pushes a racer into the pits during last year’s Electrathon of Florida series race after its rear wheel broke. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

The multi-turn Cecil Center course is 2,600 feet long and uses the school’s truck driver training facility. Spectators are welcome.

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Competitor registration is $40, and they can recharge their race cars on 110-volt power available in the pit area. Food trucks will be there for spectators.

Florida Power & Light Co. is now supporting the race series, supplying Florida high schools with start-up vehicles and support.

For more information and the state race schedule, go to electrathonofflorida.org.


author image Reporter email Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with almost 40 years of experience in radio, television and print reporting. He has worked at various stations in the Northeast and Jacksonville. Dan also spent 34 years at The Florida Times-Union as a police and current affairs reporter.

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