Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy - EV Lowrider Conversion Project

EV Lowrider Conversion Project

Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy (SAVA) has launched the first EV Lowrider conversion project, which will innovate traditional lowrider equipment and promote the development of a new EV pathway within SAVA's transportation career pathway department.

This groundbreaking project will be built by students in an underserved community, with guidance from academic, private, and public sector partners including SMUD, Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District, Sacramento Lowrider Commision, Ohm Electric Cars and the California Automobile Museum. The lowrider car is a strategic component of this project. It has strong cultural significance to the Sacramento Hispanic community, and will be used as a culturally relevant learning tool to promote clean energy jobs and vehicles to an underrepresented community.

Annually, over 200 students take classes within this Transportation sector across the SAVA consortium, which includes three schools throughout the Sacramento region. Developing an EV pathway will help create the green workforce pipeline needed to reach California’s clean energy goals.

As California leads the zero carbon effort by banning the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, we must ensure that electric vehicles become mainstream and accessible to all. The transition to zero emission requires clean energy investments, infrastructure upgrades and will drastically increase demand for skilled workers in clean energy fields.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) also plans to eliminate carbon emissions in their power supply by 2030. To achieve these goals, there is a need for skilled workers in clean energy fields.

This project will help meet the need by increasing the number of students ready to enter the workforce or post-secondary training programs in the clean energy field. The SAVA consortium and collaborating partners will create a unique opportunity to help bolster the clean energy workforce, help eliminate barriers within underserved communities in the transition to zero-emission technology, and ensure the next generation of the clean energy workforce is as diverse as the communities they serve.

EV Lowrider Team Members

Program Partners


Sacramento Municipal Utility District	Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District	Sacramento Lowrider Commission	Ohm Electric Cars	California Automobile Museum

Program Gallery

Press Release

(Sacramento, California) - Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy (SAVA), a charter school of Gateway Community Charters (GCC), has announced the launch of the first electric vehicle (EV) lowrider conversion project, which will innovate traditional lowrider equipment and promote the development of a new EV pathway within SAVA's transportation career pathway department.

Students in historically under-resourced communities will participate in the groundbreaking project, with guidance from academic, private, and public sector partners, including The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Sacramento Lowrider Commission, Ohm Electric Cars and the California Automobile Museum. Lowriders were selected for the EV conversion project in part due to their cultural significance to the Sacramento Hispanic community. The culturally relevant learning tool is designed to promote clean energy jobs and electric vehicle adoption within all communities.

SAVA and project partners will be showcasing the beginning stages of this project at the 36th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS36) taking place at the Sacramento Convention Center June 11-14.

Annually, over 200 students take classes within the transportation sector across the SAVA consortium. Developing an EV pathway will help create the green workforce pipeline needed to reach California’s clean energy goals. As California leads the zero carbon effort by eliminating the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, the partnership also strives to ensure equitable access to electric vehicles for all communities. The transition to zero-emission requires significant investments, infrastructure upgrades and will drastically increase demand for skilled workers in these fields.

SMUD also plans to eliminate carbon emissions from the region’s power supply by 2030. Through education, career development, partnerships, and community involvement, SMUD also aims to support the area’s clean energy workforce and the electrification of transportation and buildings.The Sac Metro Air District is proud to provide funding and educational support for SAVA’s EV lowrider project. As the local government agency responsible for reducing air and climate change pollution, each year, the Air District funds numerous projects throughout the Sacramento region to reduce emissions and replace high-polluting engines. The Air District is committed to improving air quality and protecting public health, especially in underserved communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution.

The SAVA consortium and collaborating partners will create a unique opportunity to help bolster Sacramento’s workforce, help eliminate barriers in the transition to zero-emission technology, and ensure the next generation of the clean energy workforce is as diverse as the communities they serve.