By Dahlia Taylor, Mahir Nasar and Zuhair Sajjad
While awaiting the arrival of the RAM ProMaster EV, the McMaster University & Mohawk College’s Battery Workforce Challenge team made major progress during year ywo From outreach to system design, this collaborative group of university and vocational students turned plans into action. Below are three milestones that defined the year.
Inspiring the next generation
In fall 2024, the team partnered with Mohawk College to host STEM workshops for local students. Stuart Savickis, a vocational student in Mohawk College’s Electrical Engineering Technician program, helped lead these sessions.
“It was rewarding to show students how engineering is more than theory — it’s about building real things that matter,” Savickis said.
Students explored circuitry and bold energy concepts using hands-on tools. These workshops fostered interest in STEM careers and gave the team valuable public engagement experience.
Building a smarter battery
A major milestone in year two was the development of the Battery Management System. Tridib Banik, a McMaster University electrical engineering student, contributed significantly to efforts integrating the microcontroller platform with the battery pack, enabling real-time data collection and safety features to integrate the microcontroller platform with the battery pack. This enabled real-time data collection and safety features.
“We built a clean system structure that supports fault detection, SOC estimation and safety logic,” Banik said.
Winter workshop showcases collaboration and progress
At the March 2025 winter workshop in Greenville, S.C., the team presented two working battery modules to industry judges. This milestone demonstrated mechanical design progress and system integration success.
Shaping the workforce
Through STEM outreach, BMS development, and real-world prototyping, the McMaster-Mohawk team is shaping both innovation and the workforce behind it.
Follow our team’s progress on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to learn how diverse voices are shaping the future of electric vehicles.
