The only EV program where the race car build is the assessment task for a Certificate on the transcript.
Charge Academy is the first Australian EV school program whose racing competition is itself the accredited assessment for Certificate II and III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology (AUR32721). Your students don't just drive — they graduate with hours on their transcript, a national ranking, and a portfolio defence in front of industry judges.
Built with Australian RTO partners. Nationally recognised qualification delivered by your own teachers — no external contractors.
At a glance
The whole program on one page
Charge Academy is a single annual program — one fee covers kit delivery, teacher training, certified curriculum, and a slot in the national circuit. Forty-plus schools across six states are already running it.
The flat-pack kit
What arrives in the box — and what your school provides
Every component ships pre-cut, pre-tested, and packed in numbered crates. Your team assembles; we don't ship mystery boxes or half-finished subassemblies.
Want more detail?
See every part in the kit →48V BLDC, 5kW peak
Brushless DC traction motor with integrated encoder. The drivetrain core, sized so students diagnose real torque / RPM / thermal behaviour — not a toy.
48V 30Ah LiFePO4, BMS
Lithium-iron-phosphate pack with cell-level monitoring, contactor, and pre-charge circuit. Safe for classroom use; fully serviceable for assessment.
500A sine-wave, CAN bus
Field-oriented control with throttle calibration, regen, and CAN telemetry. The fault-mode playground — students trace real EV error codes.
Mild-steel, welded roll-cage
Flat-pack laser-cut panels plus pre-rolled tubes. Bolted assembly under teacher supervision; MIG welding optional for advanced cohorts.
Class B HV gloves + visor
Per-cohort PPE kit sized for Years 10–12: arc-rated face shield, HV-insulating gloves (Class 0), workshop apron, and lockout-tagout tags.
ChargeOS firmware stack
Open firmware stack students flash and modify. Live CAN-bus telemetry streams to a tablet — pack voltage, cell temps, throttle, faults.
We ship
Flat-pack chassis + panels, HV traction motor + ESC, battery pack + BMS, full PPE set, firmware stack + CAN dongles, curriculum binder + assessment rubrics, teacher training + certification.
Your school provides
Standard workshop, basic metric hand tools, 230V mains for overnight charging, a teacher-in-charge (we train them), and the students (12-person minimum cohort).
Comparing programs?
See how Charge Academy stacks up against STEM Racing, eV Challenge and the default school EV / robotics club.
A principal-friendly side-by-side across accredited VET pathway, full-size vs scale-model build, race-circuit reach, batteries-and-powertrain curriculum focus and Australian state curriculum alignment.
Pricing & budget
One annual fee. Three ways to size it for your school.
Built for the conversation between a principal and a business manager — per-cohort costing on the front, then a line-by-line breakdown of what the fee covers versus what your school already owns.
Foundation cohort
1 cohort · 12+ students
- Flat-pack kit drivetrain + chassis (1× complete build)
- 48V LiFePO4 HV pack, ESC, telemetry & firmware stack
- Per-cohort HV PPE set (gloves, visor, lockout tags)
- AUR32721 curriculum binder + assessment rubrics
- 2-day intensive PD for 2 staff (PD-certified)
- One regional circuit round slot + national finals eligibility
Multi-cohort
2 cohorts in one school year
- Everything in the Foundation cohort, × 2 cohorts
- Shared HV pack rotation between cohorts (contiguous terms)
- Combined 4-day PD block (2 days per delivery teacher)
- Two regional circuit round slots + national finals eligibility
- School-branded team livery + banner set (one-off launch pack)
Save ≈ 15% vs. buying two separate Foundation cohorts — same kit + curriculum, shared onboarding overhead.
Whole-school licence
3+ cohorts · whole-faculty roll-out
- Everything in Multi-cohort, scaled to faculty-wide delivery
- Advanced welding module: MIG cell setup + supervisor sign-off
- Library kit refit: charging cabinet, lockable parts wall, signage
- Multi-teacher PD: up to 6 staff certified in one block
- Priority regional circuit round + bonus finals wildcard slot
- Named program coordinator contact for the life of the licence
Save ≈ 25% vs. running three Foundations — multi-teacher PD amortised, parts duplication removed.
What every cohort fee covers
Line by line: kit, school-owned, or upgrade
Every visible cost in the program falls into one of three buckets. Anything markedIncluded ships in the kit; anything marked School-supplied is almost always already on your inventory; anything marked Optional upgrade is a faculty-wide roll-out choice rather than a per-cohort baseline.
| Component | Coverage | What it means for your budget |
|---|---|---|
| DC Traction Motor (48V BLDC, 5kW peak) | Included | Shipped in every cohort crate. One per team. |
| High-Voltage Pack (LiFePO4 48V 30Ah + BMS) | Included | Shipped in every cohort crate. Pre-charged to storage SoC on arrival. |
| Motor Controller / ESC (500A sine-wave, CAN) | Included | Shipped in every cohort crate. Field-flashed with the cohort firmware version. |
| Tubular Spaceframe Chassis | Included | Flat-pack panels + pre-rolled tubes. Bolted assembly; MIG optional. |
| Safety PPE Set (Class 0 HV gloves + visor) | Included | Per-cohort set sized for Years 10–12. Re-stocked annually on licence renewal. |
| Telemetry + Firmware (ChargeOS + CAN dongle) | Included | Open firmware stack students flash and modify. Updates released each package release. |
| Secure tool + parts cabinet | School-supplied | Standard metal lockable cabinet, supplied by the school (we send the spec sheet). |
| 230V mains outlet for overnight charging | School-supplied | Single-phase 10A circuit, normally an existing workshop outlet. |
| Metric hand tools + multimeter | School-supplied | Standard workshop set — typically already on the school inventory. |
| Welding consumables + replacement brake pads | School-supplied | Renewed each term from existing STEM budget — usually under $50 / cohort. |
| Advanced MIG welding cell + extraction | Optional upgrade | Add-on for Whole-school licence. We coordinate with your local welding supplier. |
| Fast charger (40A, 3-phase) for back-to-back cohort rotation | Optional upgrade | Recommended for Multi-cohort deployments running consecutive terms. |
School-budget items
What your school budgets for separately
- Standard tech-studies room or workshop (~40 m²) — already on your inventory.
- Metric hand tools, multimeter, basic torque wrench — same set your STEM faculty owns.
- 230V mains power for overnight charging — no special wiring in eligible states.
- Annual replacement consumables (welding wire, brake pads, sandpaper) — typically under $50 per cohort per term.
- Race-day travel + teacher relief for regional rounds (one round / year per cohort).
Most principals find these line items sit inside existing STEM or workshop budgets — rarely a new ask of the business manager.
Funding note
In eligible states, AUR32721 hours sit on a VET budget line
Because every kit activity counts toward a registered unit of competency, schools in eligible states can run the program against their existing VET-delivered funding allocation rather than an extracurricular slush fund. Your RTO partner confirms the line-item mapping at proposal time.
Next step
Get a tailored indicative proposal
Tell us your student numbers and rollout shape — we'll email a per-state figure and a one-page scope within two business days. No marketing follow-up.
The gap no competitor fills
Not a club. Not a workshop taster. Every kit day accrues hours toward a Certificate on the transcript.
Embedded credentials
The race car build is the assessment task
Most EV school programs deliver a hands-on activity that earns students no formal credit. Charge Academy inverts that — every component fabricated, every fault diagnosed, every sprint tested on track aligns to a registered unit of competency in the AUR32721 training package. Your teacher signs off the same evidence they would for a VETi student on campus.
- Hours delivered at school are hours on the student's transcript.
- Competency evidence = the build portfolio + race telemetry + judge panel review.
- Pathway to apprenticeship: full Cert III contributes to QCE/ATAR in every state.
- Delivered by your own teachers — we certify the staff, then they own the cohort.
What you earn
AUR20721
Cert II
Up to 12 units / 360 hrs
Foundation — battery, motor, low-voltage systems.
AUR32721
Cert III
Up to 18 units / 640 hrs
Advanced — HV competency, fault diagnosis, commissioning.
Both qualifications count toward QCE/ATAR in every Australian state and award credit toward related engineering and trades apprenticeships.
Unit-by-unit mapping
Where each kit activity lands on the qualification
| Unit code | Competency | Cert II | Cert III | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AURETR112 | Inspect and test HV battery systems | 20 hrs | ||
| AURETR115 | Diagnose and repair EV drivetrain faults | 40 hrs | ||
| AURETR125 | Test, charge and replace EV batteries | 20 hrs | ||
| AURLTB104 | Diagnose light vehicle chassis dynamic systems | 20 hrs | ||
| AURETR128 | Plan and carry out EV modifications | 30 hrs | ||
| AURTTA105 | Inspect and test light vehicle powertrain | 15 hrs | ||
| AURETK001 | Operate and monitor charging infrastructure | 10 hrs | ||
| AURETR113 | Commission HV propulsion systems | 25 hrs |
Mapping reflects the AUR Automotive Training Package release current at the time of delivery. Charge Academy updates the mapping with each package release and notifies participating schools.
Want the full module-by-module walk-through — including Cert II vs Cert III, where credit is awarded, and what the racing actually counts toward?
How the qualification works →Download the full brochure
Printable A4 PDF for school decision-makers
A printed-grade A4 brochure with the complete AUR32721 unit-by-unit mapping as well as a term-by-term curriculum outline, certification outcome and competition circuit tie-in. Indicative mapping - refer to your RTO for formal credit transfer.
National circuit
Two tiers — a season of qualifying rounds, one national finals
Schools don't just turn up to one event. They race a season. Regional rounds across March through August feed championship points; the team at the head of the points table goes to the National Finals in September/October.
State tier
Regional rounds — five capitals, March to August
Each round runs a circuit race, an endurance event, and an engineering presentation. Schools accumulate championship points across the season; top finishers in each state qualify for the national finals.
National finals
Host-circuit event — September / October
Point leaders from every state converge on the annual host circuit (rotated across QLD/NSW/VIC/SA/WA). Three rounds: circuit race, endurance, and an industry-judged engineering presentation.
See the full circuit
Want the season-by-season breakdown — calendar, eligibility rules and the AUR32721 tie-back race by race?
Read the full competition circuit page →Time commitment
Fits a normal elective or after-school program slot
Charge Academy integrates with a VETi delivered by RPL pathway, or runs as a two-term after-school elective. The schedule below is what staff and students should budget.
For Teachers
| Pre-program training | 2 days intensive (PD-certified) |
| Weekly delivery | 3–4 hrs/wk across the term |
| Competition coaching | ~6 hrs in the lead-up to race day |
For Students
| Practical build (kit day) | 40 min / wk |
| Theory + assessment tasks | ~1 hr / wk |
| Typical semester total | ≈ 80 hrs / semester |
What's needed to join
Your checklist before the first session
If you can tick these boxes your school can run Charge Academy next year. We guide you through the rest during onboarding.
Already decided?
Ready to enrol? Lock in your 2026 cohort slot →
A refundable deposit secures a kit crate, a training window and a regional race round — refundable in full up to 14 days before your scheduled kit delivery. Paid securely through Stripe.
Schedule
From enquiry to first kit day: ~6 weeks
- 1
Week 1
Waitlist acknowledgement + introductory call
- 2
Week 2
Program proposal tailored to your student numbers
- 3
Week 3
Teacher training (2-day intensive, on or off site)
- 4
Week 4
Kit delivery + workshop setup walkthrough
- 5–6
Week 5–6
First cohort session, then weekly through the term
Be the first school to offer students a Cert II / III EV qualification through racing.
The 2026 cohort is the first that lets your students graduate with AUR32721 Certificate II or III credits on their transcript — earned through the race car build itself. Reserve your school's spot below; our team will email you a tailored enrolment proposal within two business days.
We'll email you a single, tailored proposal — no marketing list, no follow-up phone calls.
Want to talk through enrolment? Get in touch.
Send the Charge Academy team a quick note — pricing questions, scheduling, a tailored proposal for your student numbers, anything. A real person emails back within two business days.
Your details stay with the Charge Academy team only. We don't add you to a marketing list or share with anyone else.