Purdue joining consortium for $6.1 million grant WEST LAFAYETTE, IN (wbaa) - A Federal grant focusing on electric vehicles is going to Purdue and several other state schools.

President Barack Obama announced the grant $6.1 million grant while making a stop in Elkhart County Wednesday.

The goal is to develop degree and training programs for electric vehicles.

Purdue West Lafayette and Calumet, Notre Dame, IUPUI, Ivy Tech, and Indiana University Northwest will be part of a consortium charged with creating the opportunities.

Those will include programs for vehicle technicians, electric vehicle design and manufacturing engineers, and a safety certificate program for emergency responders.

The group also will reach out to high school students and the public.

One idea is creating an electric car race, similar to Purdue's Grand Prix, as a way to build excitement for the technology.
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