Go Ultra Low
Electric Vehicles Activity Pack
What is Go Ultra Low?
Go Ultra Low is the first ever campaign to encourage UK drivers
to drive electric cars and ultra low emission vehicles. It was
created by the automotive industry and Government, and
features five car brands: BMW, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and
Vauxhall.
The benefits of driving electric vehicles include saving money,
helping the environment and air quality, and more.
Visit Go Ultra Low to learn more: www.goultralow.com
What are electric vehicles?
Electric vehicles are known as ultra low emission vehicles, or
ULEV for short. They are called ULEVs because these cars
produce 75g or less of carbon dioxide per kilometre from the
tailpipe.
At the moment, all cars that can achieve this use electric power to
directly power the wheels, from a 100% electric car to a plug-in
hybrid and an extended-range electric vehicle.
How is an electric vehicle different to a
regular car?
Electric vehicles differ in a lot of ways from traditional petrol or
diesel cars:
• No exhaust tailpipe
• A charging socket rather than a fuel cap
• A battery instead of a fuel tank
The diagram below shows us that the real difference between
electric vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars lies
inside the car. The electric vehicle has a battery instead of a
petrol tank, an electric motor instead of a combustion engine and
an electrical power source instead of a petrol pump.
Activities
How to Build an Electric Car
(Suggested age range: 12+)
Materials
Kits are available from Maplin: MFA Geared Motor Kit
(http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/mfa-geared-motor-kit-uz15r) and
contains:
• Multi ratio geared motor, A selection of drives (chain, rack&
pinion, worm drive, etc)
• Coupling, Axles
• Wheels, Perforated metal sheet and strip
• Plastic wheels, Nuts and bolts
• Toggle switch etc, ‘D’ cell dry battery
What to do
The aim of this exercise is to have the Scouts build their very own
electric vehicle and then race them. Have them split into teams
and give them a certain time limit to complete the building of the
cars. Next have them gather at the back of the hall and race their
cars- first over the line wins! Keep doing this until every member of
the team has the opportunity to race. You could also start adding
weights on top of the cars to see how that affects the speed and
battery life. Racing will be finished when the battery runs outrecord how long it took for the battery to be depleted.
Activities
Scout EV Campaign Poster
After explaining about Go Ultra Low and what it’s aiming to do,
have the Scouts create their own campaign poster.
Materials
• Card, paper, tissue paper
• Crayons, paint, felt tips
• Glue, scissors, glitter
What to do
Have teams work together to make their very own Go Ultra Low
campaign poster. They can make a design which they then show
to the group and explain why their campaign is the best and what
they will be doing to help the Go Ultra Low movement.
Activities
Scout ULEV Broadcast
The aim is to have the Scouts work together as a pack and
present to their parents what they have learnt.
Materials
• A table for ‘broadcasting’ from
• Different pictures so that the Scouts out in the field can present
• Kitchen roll or toilet roll tubes with a ball on to act as a
microphone
What to do
After giving the Scouts information about ULEVs, have them as a
group, think about a way to present all this information as a news
broadcast. Have them decide who will do what job and how to turn
the information into news stories (ex. New infrastructure being
established, new Go Ultra Low campaign, how ULEVs are
different but still great cars). Once this is organised, have them do
a run through for the Scout leaders, and then present it to the
parents.
Activities
Pass the Basket Game
This game requires the Scouts to pay attention to what EVs and
ULEVs are and then show what they have remembered. Sort of
like a pass the parcel (feel free to play music).
Materials
• Card
• Scissors
• Basket
• Music (if you want)
How to play
Ask the Scouts to stand in a circle. Place all the cards (see next
two pages) in a basket and make sure they are mixed well. The
game begins with the basket being passed around the circle. At
random a leader will stop the game, the Scout who has the basket
at the time will have to pick a card out of the basket and explain
the word to the rest of the circle the best they can, without saying
the word. The first person to shout out the correct word can sit
down. The game will continue until every scout has answered a
question.
Word
Atmosphere:
Carbon Dioxide
Charge (battery):
Combustion:
Discharging (battery):
Electrical current:
Electrical Generator:
Electrical Motor:
Electricity Plant:
Electron:
Fossil Fuels:
Greenhouse Effect:
Greenhouse Gases:
Internal Combustion Engine:
Definition
The layers of gases which surround the
Earth and are held in place by gravity.
The atmosphere protects the planet
from the harsh conditions of space and
helps to regulate our climate.
A colourless and odourless gas,
important for many biological processes
(like photosynthesis) and is one of the
main greenhouse gases produced by
human activity. It has the chemical
formula CO2.
Like putting petrol in the petrol tank of a
car. But instead of using petrol, we use
electricity and instead of a petrol tank,
we use a battery.
The process of burning. For example:
combustion occurs in internal
combustion engines where fuel (petrol
or gas) is burnt. The reaction produces
carbon dioxide, water and energy.
When the battery releases its electrical
charge.
The measure of the movement of
electrons through a substance.
The device that converts mechanical
energy to electrical energy.
An electrical device which converts
mechanical energy into electrical
energy.
The place where electricity is generated.
A negatively-charged subatomic particle
(the smallest parts of an atom).
Fuels such as oil, gas and petroleum
which are made from dead organisms
from a very long time ago, buried deep
under ground.
The result when solar radiation being
trapped by the Earth’s atmosphere
causing the gradual warming of the
earth.
A range of gases including nitrogen,
oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane.
An engine which burns fossil fuels to
generate energy.
Word
Law of Conservation of Energy:
Landfill:
Lithium Ion Batteries:
Manufacture:
Photosynthesis:
Physics:
Range:
Recharge (battery):
Renewable Energy:
Steam:
Turbine:
Definition
Energy cannot be created nor
destroyed; it can only be transformed
from one form of energy to another. For
example, Mechanical energy can be
transformed into electrical energy.
An area of land where rubbish and
waste is sent to be disposed of by being
buried.
A type of rechargeable battery
containing lithium ions.
To make or build something.
The chemical process by which plants
convert carbon dioxide and water into
glucose, oxygen and energy with the
help of sunlight.
The study of understanding how
nature’s processes work.
The distance an electric vehicle can
travel on a full battery.
The process of putting more power in a
flat battery by connecting it to a source
of electricity.
Energy which comes from natural
sources, such as wind power, solar
power, wave power and hydro-electricity.
What is created when water is heated to
create a gas.
An engine with large ‘fan-like’ blades
which convert kinetic energy to electrical
energy when they turn.
Activities
Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle
Mind Map Exercise
This exercise requires the Scouts to use their new and existing
knowledge they have and work as a team to produce a mind map
which shows the differences and similarities between non-ULEVs
and ULEVs.
Materials
• Large sheet of construction paper
• Felt tips/crayons
How to do it
Get the Scouts to draw two big circles which overlap in the middle.
Have them label one circle ‘Non-ULEVs’ and the other circle
‘ULEVs’; have them label the overlapping section as ‘Both’. Give
them a set amount of time and have them write down everything
they know about both kinds of cars; anything that applies to both
should be put in the ‘Both’ section. At the end of it have each
group show what they have put down. Scout leaders could do a
master mind map, where you put all of their suggestions and
words.
Activities
Electric Vehicle Board Game
Similar to the ‘Pass the Basket’ game in testing the knowledge the
Scouts would have learnt.
Materials
• The board game template (see next page) make it as bright as
possible- get the Scouts to decorate it with things related to
ULEVs. Make sure there are spots which have questions
indicated on them, and others which make the player go back a
space or two.
• Card (preferably different colours) with ULEV words on them
• Cards ( colourful again) with the answers on them
• A dice
• Toy cars or other markers for each player
Electric Vehicle Board Game
How to play
Once the board has been created, have each team member roll
the dice. The player with the highest number goes first. Have them
place their cars on the start and then the first player rolls the dice.
They move the spots indicated and if they land on a question
space they have to answer the question correctly about ULEVs, or
they miss a turn. If they get it correct, they get another turn the
next cycle. If they land on a space that tells them to go back
spaces they have to.
The winner is the person who gets to the finish line first.
Go
forward
2
start
?
?
Go
Back
2
?
?
?
Go
Back
3
Go
forward
1
finish
Activities
Card Matching
What you need
• A copy of the template (see next two pages)printed onto card –
1 per group
• Scissors
What to do
Print and cut out two sets of templates separating the questions
from the answers. The leader will keep the questions.
Divide the section into two teams.
Each team will have a table with the answers laid out on it.
The leader will ask a question from the template.
The teams will have to find the answer on their table and present
this back to the leader who will pin it up alongside the question.
The first team to complete all the questions correctly wins.
What is a Go Ultra
Low Car?
An ultra low emission
car which produces
75g or less of CO2 per
kilometre.
CO2 emissions
are bad for the
environment
True
A 100% Pure
electric vehicle is
Completely driven by
an electric motor,
powered by a battery
that can be plugged
into the mains.
How many
electric cars
are in the UK?
Over 13,000
A plug-in hybrid
vehicle
Combines both a plugin battery pack and an
electric motor with a
traditional internal
combustion engine.
How many
charging
points are in
the UK?
Over 7,000
Particulates, NOx and
SOx.
Electric
vehicles are
getting more
popular.
True
Emissions from
the tailpipe include
Electric vehicles
mean noise
pollution
Decreases.
Only cars can
be electric.
False
The average car
emits
128.3g/km of CO2
An electric car
emits
0g/km of CO2
Hydrogen car
exhausts produce
Just water
Running an
electric car is
Cheaper
Additional Information
100% electric vehicles
100% electric vehicles have an electric motor that is powered by
a battery that can be plugged into a power socket to charge up.
There is no petrol engine, or Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
like a traditional car.
Electrical energy from the battery is passed through wire coils in
the motor to create a magnetic field. This magnetism turns a
rotor, which then turns the wheels of the vehicle.
To maximise the car’s efficiency, this process is run in reverse
when the vehicle is slowing down. The motor is put into reverse to
slow the vehicle down, acting as a mini-generator to top-up the
battery. Known as “regenerative braking”, this can add an
additional 10 miles or more to the range or distance the vehicle
can drive (on top of what charging the electric battery can give).
This is due to the electric motor capturing energy that is wasted
through braking in petrol and diesel vehicles.
As 100% electric vehicles rely entirely on electricity for fuel,
instead of petrol, they do not produce any emissions. Most of
these vehicles available today, such as the Renault ZOE, Nissan
LEAF and BMW i3, typically offer a range of around 100 miles,
though some offer more. This means you can drive from London
to Brighton, or Manchester to Liverpool, roundtrip just on one
battery charge.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
The battery in a plug-in hybrid is smaller than in a 100% electric
vehicle and powers the wheels at low speeds or for shorter
distances. Most models, such as the Toyota Prius Plug-in, can
cover the average journey length of the typical driver in the UK,
which is just seven miles per trip, on the battery alone.
After the battery range has been used up, the vehicle can
continue journeys powered by its conventional petrol engine. The
use of an internal combustion engine means that plug-in hybrid
vehicles have emissions of around 40-50g/km of carbon dioxide,
but they’re still lower than a regular petrol or diesel car.
The key difference between a plug-in hybrid vehicle and a
traditional hybrid vehicle is simply the “plug-in” bit. The battery is
bigger and can be charged directly from a power socket, giving a
much longer driving range running on electricity.
Extended-range Electric Vehicles
Extended-range electric vehicles have a plug-in battery and
electric motor (like a 100% electric vehicle), as well as an internal
combustion engine fuelled by petrol.
The difference is that the electric motor always drives the wheels,
with the internal combustion engine acting as a generator to
recharge the battery when it is used up.
Typically, these vehicles such as the Vauxhall Ampera, have an
electric battery range of around 40 miles, before the vehicle
switches to the range-extender mode to continue the journey.
They also produce less emissions than a petrol or diesel vehicle,
with only 27g/km of carbon dioxide.
Batteries and charging
Batteries store energy for many different electrical devices.
Energy from charging is stored in a battery so that the device
does not have to remain plugged directly into a power supply.
This allows the device to be mobile and moved around – this is
key to the technology in electric vehicles.
Modern electric vehicles have rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries
to store the electrical energy used to drive the car. Rechargeable
batteries work the same way as non-rechargeable batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are made from materials that are easily
recyclable. Lithium-ion batteries are also very efficient at
recharging and discharging. This means that the amount of
energy that is put into the battery is almost equal to the amount of
energy released by the battery. So when you charge an electric
vehicle with electricity the amount of energy you put in is almost
the same as you get out of it.
Resources
https://www.goultralow.com/what-are-go-ultra-low-cars/ - Go Ultra Low
campaign website
http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/104611/EV-TeacherManual.pdf - This is a Teacher resource from Australia which includes
background for teachers on EVs (with an Australian focus, but that could easily
be changed to the UK). There are also games and activities for children of
different age groups.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/activities/3507_car.html - This is more
educational and fact based. However the way the activity is set out would be
beneficial for the scout groups as they would learn, and then that knowledge
could be applied to an activity.
http://www.greenpower.co.uk/racing/goblins/teachers
http://www.miniscience.com/kits/CAR_ELEC/
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8035033_build-electric-car-science-project.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_6528336_make-electric-toy-cars.html