Ford of Ocala Donates Electric Car to MTI - Students in the Automotive Technology Academy at Marion Technical Institute (MTI) are charged up about a gift from a local auto dealer.Ocala EDC Investor, Ford of Ocala, has donated a 1995 Tropica E.V., an electric car for students to learn more about this unique technology while possibly developing a new alternative fuel source. “This may sound like an impossible dream for a group of High School students,” says Randy Arnold, MTI Auto Instructor, “but if we don’t aim high we will never know what we can achieve.”Arnold plans to lead his students in repair and restoration of the vehicle, as well as a possible future conversion into a hybrid vehicle. The donation from Ford of Ocala brings a unique learning opportunity to MTI students.Although an electric car is not normally associated with the automotive technology curriculum, there are numerous hands on lessons for students to learn. Introductory level students will learn battery construction, maintenance, and service. Advanced students will use the car to understand electronic circuitry, charge rates, power consumption, and electric motor operation. All lessons include math, science, and english skills.MTI Principal Mark Vianello gratefully acknowledges the gift, “Gary Scott with Ford of Ocala has been on board with our program from the very beginning. This is just one more example of his generosity and passion to help our students succeed. The support we have received from all our business partners has brought a level of education to our students that classroom lecture alone cannot provide.” Recently, 14 students in the Automotive Academy earned certifications through the National Association for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). MTI automotive academy students have the opportunity to participate in paid internships while in high school. Since the school opened in 2005, several academy graduates have been sponsored by business partners Ford of Ocala and DeLuca Toyota to attend further training to become high wage, specialized mechanics now employed with the local dealerships.