Ko te manu e kai i te mātauranga, nōna te ao

Our Impact team at Tū Ātea recently kicked off a new partnership with EVolocity, connecting with rangatahi at Tipene College to begin their journey into electric vehicle design and engineering.

The visit comes at a significant time for Tipene, which has only recently reopened after 25 years. After closing in 2000, the kura has returned with a renewed focus on empowering Māori boys through education that is practical, future-focused, and grounded in te ao Māori.

Starting with mini EVs, these tauira will spend the coming months designing, building, and testing their own vehicles alongside mentors and kaiako. By the end of the year, they will be racing full-scale electric vehicles in Tāmaki Makaurau

This kaupapa centres on learning by doing, giving rangatahi the space to build, test, and discover their place in a growing world of engineering and innovation.

EVolocity supports students across Aotearoa through a hands-on, mentor-led programme focused on sustainable engineering. With electric motor kits, guidance, and the freedom to create, students design and build their own karts or bikes, working towards regional race events that test performance, efficiency, and design.

 At Tū Ātea, this reflects our wider commitment to ensuring innovation and technology serve our people. Through our work in spectrum and telecommunications, we are focused on creating future-ready opportunities and supporting rangatahi into engineering, innovation, and emerging fields.

 Electric vehicles are not only fast and fun, they reflect a shift toward more sustainable ways of thinking and building. More importantly, they are helping rangatahi step into that future with confidence and purpose.

 ‘Titiro Matatu ki te Rangi’.