In December 2024, the South Coast AQMD Governing Board approved a $150,000 sponsorship to California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), in partnership with Cerritos College, to support their participation in the Battery Workforce Challenge—a nationwide competition designed to train the next generation of electric vehicle (EV) battery engineers and technicians.

Cal State LA was one of only 12 universities selected to compete in the three-year program, which runs through July 2026. Each university team works with local vocational schools to design, build, test, and integrate an advanced battery pack into a Stellantis RAM ProMaster EV for commercial use.

In the first year, Cal State LA and Cerritos College students—along with faculty advisors—launched a student organization called the Charging Eagles, which quickly grew to 66 engineering students. Together, they designed a 100-kWh battery pack and supporting hardware with a strong focus on safety, reliability, and performance.

By the second year, the team refined the design to prepare it for full vehicle integration. This phase involved upgrading the battery assembly, testing custom components, refining placement for improved safety and performance, and advancing software development.

At the two-year competition in Indianapolis in May 2025, nine Cal State LA students presented their work on module design, recyclability, battery management system architecture, and disconnect unit integration. The team placed 6th overall and earned the “Thermal Cooling Synergy” Award for collaborating with other universities to improve thermal cooling solutions.

Over the summer, the team received their work van from Stellantis and began building battery modules for installation. As they enter the third and final year of the challenge, the Charging Eagles will focus on vehicle integration and rigorous testing to ensure full functionality before the project concludes in 2026.