Alabama Hydrogen Grand Prix gives students hands-on STEM experience
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Hyundai recently hosted the annual Alabama Hydrogen Grand Prix at Cramton Bowl, bringing a hands-on STEM experience to hundreds of local students.
Hosted in partnership with the STEP Foundation and Horizon Education, the Alabama Hydrogen Grand Prix engages middle and high school students in real-world engineering challenges through the Hyundai RC Program.
Students gathered to design, build and race hydrogen-powered RC cars, learning core engineering principles, renewable energy concepts and automotive technologies.
“At Hyundai, we believe education is one of the most powerful drivers of opportunity and long-term success for every child. That belief is central to our Progress for Humanity vision and guides our commitment to expanding access to hands-on, high-quality STEM education that helps prepare students for the careers and challenges of tomorrow.”
Brandon Ramirez, director of corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor North America
Keep reading to learn more about the event + see some photos from the big day.
Hyundai hosts Alabama Hydrogen Grand Prix
The event is part of Hyundai’s ongoing investment in hands-on, experiential learning through Hyundai Hope, the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative focused on developing the next generation of innovators.
Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and direct support of local school systems, Hyundai continues to expand access to high-quality STEM education and career-focused learning opportunities in Alabama and beyond.
This year, 10 teams from Montgomery Public Schools competed in stock and modified categories. The schools represented in the competition included:
- Carver High School
- Percy Julian High School
- Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) High School
- Carr Middle School
- Goodwyn Middle School
The winning teams will receive an invitation to the June 2026 World Championships in Bulle, Switzerland.
Hyundai has also expanded its partnership with the SAE Foundation to bring SAE International’s A World In Motion® (AWIM®) PreK–12 STEM curriculum to Montgomery Public Schools.
Nearly 1,000 sixth-grade students are participating in the AWIM Gravity Cruiser Challenge, which tasks students with designing and constructing gravity-powered vehicles while exploring concepts such as energy, inertia and momentum.
The hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum is designed to improve student engagement and performance in STEM subjects, strengthen problem-solving and teamwork skills, and raise awareness of future engineering and technical career paths.
