Colorful illustration of a red vintage convertible car with four children inside, driving past iconic landmarks and futuristic buildings, with the text "Low Slow & Clean."

EV Lowrider Conversion Project

Collage of students and instructors working on automotive and technical projects, with a central message about driving change through education, innovation, and culture.

Low, Slow, & Clean

The EV Lowrider Project is part of the Advanced Automotive Technologies pathway at SAVA. Through this project, students convert a classic lowrider car from gas to fully electric power, building skills in advanced automotive technology, electrical engineering, digital fabrication, and cultural storytelling.

This project blends heritage with innovation and integrates core academic skills with real-world career training. It honors the legacy of lowrider culture—deeply rooted in Sacramentoʼs Latinx/Chicanx communities— while preparing students for sustainable technology careers in a rapidly changing economy. Students engage with both tradition and transformation, working with local artists, industry partners, and educators to create something truly unique.

Programs Goals & Student Outcomes

Group of students and instructor in a classroom or workshop setting, engaged in discussion about mechanical parts and engineering projects. There is a large sign in the background that reads 'Transportation Technology' and 'Your Future Starts Here.'

Powering the Future Through Sustainable Technology Training Program

Deliver industry-informed, hands-on technical training, preparing students for careers in clean energy and electric vehicle innovation.

Person with black gloves reviewing technical blueprints and sketches on paper, holding a stack of drawings in their lap.

Connecting Classrooms to Careers

Forge strong connections between students, community leaders, and employers—building a direct pipeline from classroom to career

A person with curly dark hair and glasses is working on the rear of a red vintage car, the Impala, using a blue marker and masking tape.

Honoring Culture Through Creative Expression

Celebrate and elevate students’ cultural identities through custom vehicle design, oral history, visual arts, and public storytelling.

Three people are having a conversation at an outdoor event with car displays and tents, including one tent labeled 'SAVA' and another labeled 'Tesla.' A red car is in the background.

Inspiring Leadership Through Public Showcases

Instill a sense of pride, agency, and civic engagement through high-profile public exhibitions that empower students to lead.

A woman is filming a group of nine young people posing in front of a partially disassembled red car outside a beige building with an open garage door.

Showcasing Student Innovation on National Stages

Elevate Sacramento’s next generation of innovators by showcasing the youth-built EV lowrider at regional and national events.

Illustration of a gate with mountains and a sun in the background, and the text 'Quality school choice, a gateway to the future' curved above. Below are the words 'Gateway Community Charters' and three stylized linked 'GCC' initials.

Our Partners

  • SMUD logo featuring an orange circle with black concentric rings and the word SMUD in gray capital letters

  • Logo of Sacramento Metro Air District with stylized blue waves and blue text.

  • Logo of California Mobility Center, featuring a stylized map of California in yellow with an orange segmented arc around it and the text 'CMC California Mobility Center' next to it.

  • Logo of Ohm Electric Cars featuring a stylized power plug with a circular border and the company name underneath.

  • Poster for California Automobile Museum featuring four vintage cars: a black and red classic car with a rounded front, a blue muscle car with a sleek design, a purple old-fashioned car with a prominent grille, and a yellow and red vintage racing car, with the text 'California Automobile Museum' at the top and '2200 Front Street' at the bottom.

  • Graphic logo for a smoke shop called 'Street Certified Customs' featuring a cartoonish, threatening-looking vape device with eyes and a smirk, set against a cityscape silhouette with an orange and yellow sunset background, and a stylized font.

  • The logo of SAIVA with the tagline "Build Your Future" in black text underneath.