A group of students that study in Kansas City have found a way to use social media to improve education awareness in America – oh and power a car.

Minddrive is an after school educational programme for “at risk” kids. The initiative teaches its members about science and the environment amongst other things, through hands on projects. But their biggest project yet would probably have to be the 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, that they rebuilt into a electric vehicle, with a lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor, that is powered by social media interaction. The “social watts” gleaned through Minddrive’s YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts are monitored on a tablet that is installed into the car. So, when people mention or like the Minddrive Facebook page for example, the car is given a certain amount of “social fuel.”

In order to gain awareness of Minddrive and similar educational programmes, the kids that worked on the electric car will be road tripping from Kansas City to Washington DC all by the public use of social media, spreading their word at the same time.

[Source: ibnlive]