In 2023, the California State University of Los Angeles (Cal State LA) was selected as one of 12 universities nationwide to participate in the Department of Energy and Stellantis N.V. Battery Workforce Challenge (BWC). The BWC is a collegiate and engineering competition that gives students hands-on, real-world experience in battery design and realization. 

The three-year BWC competition partners university engineering departments with local vocational schools to design, build, test, and integrate an optimized battery pack utilizing production battery cells into a Stellantis RAM ProMaster electric vehicle for commercial operation. Through the BWC, students collaborate and solve complex battery engineering and manufacturing challenges, gaining valuable technical, teamwork and leadership skills that transcend the classroom environment. 

Teams must also follow industry milestones focused on battery design, simulation, control development, testing, vehicle integration, and demonstration. The team at Cal State LA secured approximately $600,000 in funding from competition sponsors, including the Sikand Center for Sustainable and Intelligent Infrastructure and its own faculty (the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Engineering Technology). As part of South Coast AQMD’s commitment to building a more sustainable environment and support for professional growth, the agency cosponsored and awarded Cal State LA $150,000 

to support their efforts in this competition. 

The successful completion of the BWC challenge will provide the students, many of whom reside in overburdened communities, an opportunity to secure high-paying engineering careers.