While AFVs are not inherently more dangerous than traditional vehicles, they do have different characteristics. Improper handling can lead to injuries.

The trainings, which were created with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office, are free for a limited time. Each course offers 2.0 hours of online training.

This online course is a self-paced training that includes 10 chapters and one comprehensive test. After completing the course, trainees will be able to identify potential hazards of working with an EV or AFV; describe correct personal protective equipment to be used in dealing with an EV or AFV; and follow proper towing and roadside assistance procedures for EVs and AFVs.

ENROLL IN THIS COURSE

This online course is a self-paced training with seven chapters and one comprehensive test. The course teaches personnel to identify the potential hazards of working with an EV or AFV; recognize fuel storage and system components of EVs and AFVs; and follow proper procedures for dismantling, recycling, and crushing EVs and AFVs. For more information and to access the training modules, go to the NAFTC courses and workshops webpage at: naftc.wvu.edu/courses-and-workshops.

ENROLL IN THIS COURSE

Contact: Tracy Novak, Communications National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium

West Virginia University 304-293-6928; tracy.novak@mail.wvu.edu

“It’s so important that people understand that electric vehicles are just as safe as traditional vehicles, but have different maintenance requirements,” Smyth noted. “In many cases maintenance is much easier and maintenance costs are substantially lower for electric vehicles.”

The segment airs this Saturday (May 25) at 2:30 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Dates and times may vary and viewers should consult their local listings.

During the interview, Smyth and Goss discuss electric vehicle systems, best maintenance practices and current electric vehicle industry trends.

Micheal Smyth (l) explaining electric vehicle maintenance to Pat Gross on the PBS show “Motorweek” using NAFTC’s cutaway training Prius.

Smyth commented, “This segment of ‘Goss’ Garage’ will help demystify electric vehicle systems and allow us to reach the millions of viewers who tune in each week to learn about cleaner vehicles.”

NAFTC’s Hybrid Electric Vehicle Training Educator, also known as HEVTE, features prominently during the segment. HEVTE is a third generation, fully functional Toyota Prius with plexiglass panels over major components so they can be viewed directly during electric drive vehicle training or education events.

The NAFTC is a program of WVU’s Energy Institute. Founded in 1992, the NAFTC is the only nationwide training organization dedicated to educating the nation about alternative fuel vehicles through curriculum development, training implementation, and outreach and education activities.

“MotorWeek” is television’s longest-running automotive series and debuted in 1981 as the first weekly series to offer consumer-oriented car and truck reviews, do-it-yourself car care tips, and the latest auto industry news. “MotorWeek” airs on more than 240 public broadcasting stations nationwide.

The episode can also be viewed on “Motorweek’s” YouTube channel next week and will air on Motor Trend Network at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 4 and repeat at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, June 9.

The first step in this process has been to capture current classroom curricula for presentation in video and online formats. NAFTC Interim Director Micheal Smyth recently traveled to AVI’s headquarters in Fort Myers, Florida, to film an electric vehicle course.

“It was a pleasure to work with AVI in their state-of-the-art studio,” Smyth said. “With the proliferation of electric vehicles in the U.S., we are excited to help people learn more about their transportation options. While the AVI project doesn’t replace the hands-on classroom training of our electric vehicle course, it will help interested people better understand these vehicle technologies.”

During the March 10–16, 2019, filming session, Smyth was joined by Chris Womak, NAFTC’s first responder training specialist and a lieutenant in the Indianapolis Fire Department, to film three courses for firefighters and other first responders describing key concepts for how they should deal with AFV accidents.

The electric vehicle and first responder courses will be available through AVI later this summer.

Started in 1994, AVI provides automotive education videos and web-based content to service and repair centers, parts manufacturers, parts distributors, and automotive training institutions. Learn more about AVI by visiting www.aviondemand.com

The four courses, developed through a U.S. Department of Energy grant, are:

1. AFV/EV Collision Repair Training
2. AFV/EV Fueling, Repair, Maintenance, and Conversion Facility Training
3. Online AFV/EV Training for Towing and Roadside Assistance Personnel
4. Online AFV/EV Training for Automotive Recycling Personnel

More About the Courses

Automotive collision repair personnel require specialized training to educate them about the safe and effective procedures to disable and repair collision damage on alternative fuel and electric drive vehicles. The AFV/EV Collision Repair Training course has been developed primarily for trainers and pre- and in-service collision technicians, and covers the fundamentals, system design, diagnostic considerations, and special service topics for AFVs and EVs.

To support the increased numbers of AFVs and EVs on the road, maintenance and repair facilities must be designed and equipped to repair and service these vehicles safely. The AFV/EV Fueling, Maintenance and Repair Facility is designed for technicians, fleet operators, inspectors, fire marshals, authorities having jurisdiction, and other AFV owners. This course covers the requirements of repair and maintenance facilities that elect to maintain alternative vehicles, including electric drive, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane autogas, hydrogen, ethanol, and biodiesel-fueled vehicles.

Both the collision and facility training courses are traditional instructor-led classroom courses and are eight hours in length. Materials available for these two classes include:

• A participant textbook 
• An instructor textbook 
• Lesson plans 
• Learning objectives 
• Instructor PowerPoint presentations 
• Key terms and acronyms 
• Pre- and post-tests 
• End of course survey 
• Instructor web link resource 
• Recommended tool list 
• Shop activities 
• Practical exercises 
• Detailed course description 
• End of course certificate 

The other two courses—Online AFV/EV Training for Towing and Roadside Assistance Personnel and Online AFV/EV Training for Automotive Recycling Personnel—are, as their titles suggest, available through the NAFTC online learning management system. Each online course can be completed in approximately one hour.

The AFV/EV Online Safety Training for Tow Operators will help train towing and roadside assistance providers about safety, proper procedures to follow when interacting with EVs and AFVs, and the possible hazards of dealing with AFVs and EVs. This online course features information about:

• General safety procedures to be followed when towing or offering roadside assistance to an AFV or EV.
• Basic properties of: high voltage electricity, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biodiesel, ethanol, and hydrogen.
• Correct personal protective equipment 
• Possible hazards of EVs and AFVs 
• Assessing and approaching an EV or AFV 
• Fuel storage and components 
• Spills and leaks 
• Towing procedures
• Roadside assistance 
• Safety and first aid 

The Online AFV/EV Training for Salvage Yard and Recycling Operators provides these workers with training about safety, proper procedures to follow when interacting with AFVs and EVs, and the possible hazards of dealing with AFVs and EVs in a salvage yard or automotive recycling environment. This online course features information about:

• General safety procedures to follow when recycling an AFV or EV
• Basic properties of: high voltage electricity, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biodiesel, ethanol, and hydrogen.
• Correct personal protective equipment
• Possible hazards of EVs and AFVs
• How to identify EVs and AFVs
• Fuel storage and system components
• Spills and leaks
• Dismantling and recycling EVs and AFVs
• Crushing EVs and AFVs 
• Safety and first aid 

 Using the Courses in Your Community

One community has told us about their plans to use the two online courses as a prerequisite for hands-on training. Participants will get up-to-speed on the fundamentals of either recycling or towing, then get into more specifics in a classroom session with experts. We see this as an excellent use of the online courses.

In addition to the curricula, the four courses have support resources for publicizing the training. Comprised of numerous marketing and communication resources to help training hosts, the free materials include flyers, posters, PowerPoint presentations, and social media language. These materials are also easily adapted for other training events.

If any (or all) of these courses sound like something you’d like to do in your area, please contact me at (304) 293-7882 or via e-mail at micheal.smyth@mail.wvu.edu. We are always eager to help bring AFV education wherever we can!

 As 2019 begins, I’d like to wish you and yours a terrific new year. The staff of the NAFTC and I are grateful for your support and hope 2019 brings many fine adventures your way! Speaking of 2019, here’s what the NAFTC is up to in the early part of the New Year.

Four AFV Courses Launch

In the first couple of months of 2019, we will begin offering four new courses:

1. AFV/EV Fueling, Repair, Maintenance and Conversion Facility Training, a one-day classroom course that reviews facility requirements for working with alternative fuel vehicles. The course can be adapted if an audience has an interest in one particular fuel, or can be an overview of requirements for all current alternative fuel sources.
2. AFV/EV Collision Repair Training, a one-day classroom course examining the unique considerations for repairing alternative fuel vehicles.
3. Online AFV/EV Training for Towing and Roadside Assistance Personnel, a free online course for those working in the towing and roadside assistance industry describing considerations for aiding and towing AFVs. This course, designed to be completed in approximately one hour, will be available on the NAFTC website.
4. Online AFV/EV Training for Automotive Recycling Personnel, another free online course but geared toward those working in the automotive salvage and recycling arena. This course, also designed to be completed in about one hour, will be available on the NAFTC website.

The courses are accompanied by a toolbox (on the NAFTC website) with all the tools you’ll need to publicize these courses in your communities. In fact, we have numerous resources that you are encouraged to adapt and use to promote your organization and its activities (e.g., press release templates, sample signage, tips to generate media coverage, and more). Visit www.naftc.wvu.edu and click on the Clean Cities Projects link at the bottom to access the toolbox.

Spring Expo

Finally, be on the lookout for our announcement about the Spring 2019 Expo, or Expo III, as we call it. The two previous Expos—the first held in Sanford, Florida in May 2018, and the most recent held in Las Vegas at the AAPEX Show in October 2018—were terrific events. These member meetings are a great way to learn the latest developments in AFV training and to network with colleagues in our industry. We try to strike a balance between work and fun, and will once again have a drawing for an iPad for attendees.

Again, all the best for a successful 2019 from those of us at the NAFTC!

Mike

Our first stop on the autumn road trip is the California Automotive Teachers Conference at Rio Hondo College. Taking place at the Whittier campus on October 19th and 20th with exhibits and training sessions, this conference brings together hundreds of automotive trainers from all over the Golden State.

The NAFTC will be there with our HEVTE (cut-away Prius) and our new propane trainer. If you’ll be attending the CAT Conference, stop by the NAFTC booth and say hello. And, if you know any California schools or colleges that might be interested in membership, by all means send them our way!

Registration for the CAT conference opens September 1st. Learn more at: www.calautoteachers.com/conferences.html

From California, we’ll be headed across the desert to Las Vegas—like Hunter S. Thompson without the chemicals—for two exciting events. The first is NAFTC Expo II, our annual membership meeting. The second is the annual AAPEX/SEMA show where we are running the alternative fuels section of this annual extravaganza.

NAFTC Expo II is the second of our revamped meeting for our schools, our partners, and other interested parties and will feature train-the-trainer information about two new DOE-funded courses and demonstrate newly developed online course offerings as well as industry presentations and probably a few surprises. The event will be held October 28th and 29th at the Sands Convention Center.

The NAFTC has a limited number of rooms in the LINQ hotel available at a much-reduced rate, but the deal expires on September 14, so we recommend you make your reservations now. The link to our room block is: https://compass.onpeak.com/e/71CAR18/in/rsvp/mSpLSKxxWksqv

Like NAFTC Expo I (see a short video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMeJcFw8O7s), there will be no charge for NAFTC Expo II, our partners and members only need to cover their travel expenses. Every attendee of NAFTC Expo II will also receive free admission into the SEMA/AAPEX show (more below).

More information about NAFTC Expo II, including event registration, may be found at the NAFTC website.

Right after the Expo II finishes, we jump right into the next event. Fortunately, we don’t even have to change hotels.

In partnership with AAPEX, one of the largest shows in the Automotive Aftermarket Industry, the NAFTC is hosting a first-of-its-kind exhibit hall and training venue during the SEMA/AAPEX shows in Las Vegas, October 30 through November 1, 2018. This specialized AAPEX AFV hall has been named the NAFTC Alternative Fuel Vehicle Mobility Garage.

Prominently located at the AAPEX Trade Show Hall in the Sands Convention Center (attached to the Venetian Hotel), Mobility Garage will be AAPEX’s first endeavor into the alternative fuel vehicle arena. The hall will contain more than 30 AFV-targeted trade show booths and training facilities where selected AFV professionals will educate some of the show’s more than 160,000 attendees about various aspects of the alternative fuel vehicle market. This is a really big deal for those of us involved with AFVs!

If your organization is interested in a Mobility Garage trade show booth, please let me know. We can offer a significant discount on booth space if your organization is an NAFTC partner ($2,500 for a 10×10 space, discounted from $4,000). Complete information is available on the NAFTC website.

AFV training is a key part of Mobility Garage and we will feature a total of 24 sessions, covering a variety of alternative fuel topics. If you are interested in making a 45-minute training presentation, please submit a one-page Word document outlining your suggested AFV-related topic, including your name and organization, contact information, a detailed synopsis of the presentation, and required tools and/or education aids. If your presentation is selected, your travel, hotel, and conference costs will be covered during the AAPEX show. Deadline for presentation submissions is August 10, 2018 and slots are filling quickly.

Submit your proposal to micheal.smyth@mail.wvu.edu. Send me an e-mail if you have any questions about Mobility Garage, or call the NAFTC at (304) 293-7882.

We hope to see you this autumn!

About a year ago, the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) had just said goodbye to two long-time employees. In May 2017, Assistant Director Judy Moore relocated to a new job in Nicholas County, West Virginia, where she was born and raised, followed in June by Director Bill Davis, who retired. Losing this sort of institutional knowledge is a challenge for any organization, regardless of the circumstances. But we faced an additional hurdle last summer when we moved the entire NAFTC operation to a new location on the West Virginia University campus.

The new NAFTC headquarters are located on the West Virginia University campus in Morgantown, WV. Credit: NAFTC.

You won’t be surprised that it has taken us the better part of the past year to adapt to these developments.

The good news is that we’ve taken advantage of this situation to reexamine our mission and how we do it: What works well? What works, but could use some improvement? What would we be better served to leave behind? In future columns, I will share more details about our new vision for the NAFTC. For now, I’ll provide a broad overview of three items that represent our new direction.

A Commitment to Member Institutions

First, if you are a long-time member of the NAFTC, thank you for your support. We couldn’t do this without you. If, however, you were a member at one point but have let your membership lapse or you’ve never joined for one reason or another, we have some new features that we believe make membership more appealing than ever.

NAFTC membership includes:

• Online access to a huge collection of training materials, tools, and resources;
• Access to train-the-trainer classes;
• Access to state-of-the-art curricula for alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles;
• Opportunities to participate in the development of curricula and training materials;
• Access to technical support services for NAFTC training, products, and services; and
• Participation in professional development opportunities and instructor updates, primarily through two member Expos each year.

As Kent Johnson, associate professor and chair of the Automotive Trades Department at Alfred State College (NY), observes about professional development, “The NAFTC offers member meetings that provide networking opportunities and unique alternative fuels training that are not available anywhere else. The connections made and training received through the NAFTC have had a profound impact on our ability to advance our alternative fuels training program.”

Recognizing that bringing training to your area can be difficult, we recently launched a program that takes much of the worry out of these efforts through a three-way partnership with limited financial commitment on your part. Contact me at the number below to learn the details.

Regardless of your membership status, you will hear from Mark Schmidt, our national trainer. Mark is interesting in learning what you need from the NAFTC to make your work easier and explain how we might fit into those plans.

New Curricula

Over the next several months and into 2019, we will launch several new training courses. Four of these will be online courses: one for those working in auto towing; one for salvage yard and auto recycling personnel; and two related to propane autogas (one providing an overview of this fuel, the other developed for firefighters and other first responders). These courses will join our online electric drive class as a way for people to upgrade their alternative fuel knowledge without traveling for training.

The NAFTC online First Responder Safety Training for Electric Drive Vehicles gives information and strategies for dealing with incidents involving electric vehicles. Credit: NAFTC.

At our fall member meeting (more below), we will debut the online courses for towing and automotive recycling, and present two classroom-based curricula: one providing an overview the various requirements for facilities that work on alternative fuel vehicles, the other explaining considerations for collision repair on AFVs.

In the pipeline, we are working on a revamp of our natural gas vehicle course and the development of training related to ethanol.

Expos

In the past, the NAFTC held member professional development meetings. These meetings were open only to members and provided a summary of organizational activities. Starting in 2018, we have rebranded the member meetings as “Expos” to encapsulate a more holistic approach. Of course, we will still provide train-the-trainer sessions, but we have expanded our offerings to include shop activities with state-of-the-art equipment and materials, and industry partner presentations. The Expos are primarily for our members but are opened to our Clean Cities Coalition partners, prospective members (come and check us out), and any other organizations that may bring beneficial information to our member institutions.

We launched the first of these—dubbed Expo I—in Sanford, Florida last month. The event featured hands-on training at Seminole State College (one of our valued members) with our cutaway Prius and our new propane trainer developed by ATech Training (see related article). Based on feedback from the 35+ attendees, the new format was informative and useful, and fun.

Expo II, slated for October 28 and 29, 2018, in Las Vegas promises to build on this success. Not only will attendees get the first look at several of the curricula described above, but participants will also receive free admission to the AAPEX/SEMA show being held October 30 through November 1, 2018. This is one of the largest car shows in the world!

We are extremely excited about the new possibilities for the NAFTC. I am always delighted to hear from our members and encourage you to reach out with any suggestions you may have or questions you’d like me to answer. The NAFTC main number is (304) 293-7882 and our website is www.naftc.wvu.edu. My e-mail is micheal.smyth@mail.wvu.edu.

With kind regards,

Micheal Smyth

NAFTC Interim Director

In December of 2017, the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) received a training tool to assist in the education of automotive technicians on maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing propane autogas vehicles.

The Bi-Fuel Engine Performance Trainer is a free-standing structure with components of a standard propane autogas system. Credit: NAFTC.

The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) estimates that there are more than 200,000 propane vehicles in the United States. Many fleets use propane vehicles due to their fuel economy, performance, and successful track record.

For the past several years, the NAFTC and PERC have worked together to ensure that automotive technicians have the skills to safely and effectively repair and maintain these vehicles through a series of free training sessions held across the country. Using curricula developed through a partnership between PERC and the NAFTC, these training sessions target in-service technicians as well as those entering the workplace and have been hugely successful for laying the groundwork for necessary automotive technical support for the propane autogas industry. Recently the NAFTC, PERC, ATech Training, Inc., and ICOM North America joined together to create a tool that would enhance these trainings.

At their headquarters in Walton, KY ATech created their first Bi-Fuel Engine Performance Trainer for use in upcoming NAFTC Propane Autogas Vehicle Technician trainings. The NAFTC, ICOM North America, and PERC consulted with ATech on the design and provided support.

Laura Lyons, president of ATech commented, “Propane is the most widely used alternative fuel for vehicles and is a viable source due to the availability and infrastructure. Fleets are using this fuel due to advantages over other fuels for their needs. ATech wanted to offer a trainer to assist instructors with demonstrating the operations of an engine using propane.”

The training unit allows students to see the workings of a bi-fuel vehicle running on propane autogas and gasoline, from fuel tank to injectors, and to diagnose faults placed in the system by the class instructor through both electronic and mechanical means.

NAFTC National Instructor Mark Schmidt inspects the “bug box” which allows the introduction of faults into the system so that training participants can learn to diagnose and repair potential problems. Credit: NAFTC.

Lyons continued, “Working in collaboration with NAFTC, ICOM, and PERC enabled ATech to develop a trainer that meets the needs for training in this industry. Each of these partners brings a wealth of knowledge and experience using propane and allowed us to develop a better trainer in a shorter time frame. ATech is looking forward to featuring the Bi-Fuel Engine Performance Trainer in future trade show and training venues.”

Micheal Smyth, NAFTC interim director, states “Participants in our autogas educational sessions have always commented that the most beneficial segments of the class involve seeing fuel systems in operation and having the opportunity for hands-on interaction with them. Our earlier conversion of the NAFTC’s cutaway Prius vehicle trainer HEVTE to run on propane autogas benefitted students in our propane trainings, and the Bi-Fuel Engine Performance Trainer will only enhance that student experience.”

The training unit includes the following systems for diagnostics:

• Engine
• Transmission
• Heat/Ventilation/Air Conditioning
• Electrical
• Exhaust
• Engine Cooling
• Emissions

Albie Venezio, ICOM technical manager, said, “ICOM is always interested in helping the propane vehicle industry, and quality automotive technician training is an important factor in the future of these vehicles. We want to help technicians receive the best training to ensure that propane vehicles are properly maintained and have a long lifespan for drivers and fleets.”

The Bi-Fuel Engine Performance Trainer will be used in all upcoming Propane Autogas Vehicle Technician Trainings. Credit: NAFTC.

Stuart Flatow, PERC vice-president of safety and training, stated “This new training unit will help students better visualize and understand the vehicle systems in future propane autogas trainings. The propane training unit, along with the recent propane conversion of HEVTE, will give technicians who attend the trainings a thorough picture of how the propane systems work within the vehicle.”

No-cost Propane Autogas Vehicle Technician Trainings are being scheduled for 2018, and will be announced in the coming weeks. Additional trainings can be arranged through the NAFTC.

Learn more about NAFTC Propane Autogas Vehicle Technician Training or call 304-293-7882 to arrange a training session at your facility.

“We are always interested in any project that helps to better evolve the industry. Propane autogas training is extremely important in today’s evolving automotive world. We are focused on training new and upcoming automotive techs to be prepared for the alt-fuel world.”- Albie Venezio

Judy has accepted a position with West Virginia Hive, in order to be closer to her hometown. She will mentor and work with new and emerging businesses in WV. Bill will retire at the beginning of June, but plans to continue to play a roll in the industry through consulting and other activities. He is looking forward to spending time with my grandchildren and family.

Micheal Smyth, the current assistant director – curricula and training, will step in as the interim director of the NAFTC. He has been with the organization since 2011. Bill and Judy would like to express appreciation for the relationships they have forged over the years at the NAFTC. Bill remarked, “Several years ago Judy and I made a pact to work together to make the NAFTC the premiere AFV training organization in the United States. Since then, we have conducted trainings with hundreds of participants across the country. We have seen the industry grow and evolve. Now as we leave, I know with more certainty than ever that together we DO make a difference!”