Switch Vehicles

What Switch Vehicles does

Switch Vehicles, Inc., operating as The Switch Lab™, is a Sebastopol, California-based private company founded in 2010 that designs and manufactures hands-on electric vehicle educational kits and supporting curriculum for high school and college Career and Technical Education (CTE) and STEM programs. The company's core technology is a re-usable EV platform that includes a chassis, DC or Permanent Magnet drive systems (72V or 96V configurations), battery management systems, and complete wiring, lighting, and safety components that students assemble into a road-ready electric vehicle under instructor supervision. The product portfolio extends from two core EV kits (Switch Lab EV – Standard DC/72v and Switch Lab EV – Advanced PM/96v) to a layered set of modular labs covering EV fundamentals, electrical systems, batteries, and relay circuits, plus an integrated curriculum aligned with ASE technician standards and a 5-day hands-on instructor training workshop.

The company generates revenue through three streams: one-time sales of complete EV kits, recurring curriculum licensing, and fee-based instructor training workshops. Go-to-market is direct-to-institution sales targeting curriculum coordinators, automotive instructors, and STEM program directors at high schools, community colleges, and CTE programs, often leveraging Perkins Act CTE funds, state grants, and institutional budgets. Marketing channels include the company website, Instagram, video testimonials, event sponsorships, an ASE partnership as Official Training Resource for xEV certification, and a formalized partner program for grant partners and referring schools.

Switch Vehicles reports adoption by over 400 schools across the United States, with named customers including Mississippi Gulf Coast College (215% increase in class registrations), Southwestern Community College, WSU Tech, Cerritos College, Green River College, Stafford Technical Center, and Silicon Valley CTE. The 50-school Advanced Transportation & Logistics ZEV Pilot Project and a 2026 partnership with Utah State University's ASPIRE program for a Summer EV Academy indicate continued institutional and geographic expansion. The company has 11-50 employees and operates as a founder-owned entity with no disclosed venture capital backing.

Name

Switch Vehicles

Legal name

Switch Vehicles, Inc.

Website

https://theswitchlab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Switch Vehicles manufactures re-usable electric vehicle kits and integrated ASE-aligned curriculum for high school and college CTE and STEM programs, serving over 400 US schools through direct sales, instructor training workshops, and modular lab add-ons.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sebastopol

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. EV Kit Sales: Sale of complete Switch Lab EV kits including chassis, drive systems, batteries, wiring, and components to educational institutions for classroom use.
2. Curriculum Licensing: Integrated curriculum tracks licensed to schools for teaching EV systems aligned with ASE technician standards.
3. Instructor Training Workshops: Fee-based 5-day instructor training programs held at various locations, teaching high-voltage safety, EV components, and vehicle assembly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Switch Vehicles manufactures and sells the Switch Lab™ EV educational platform, consisting of re-usable electric vehicle kits (DC and Permanent Magnet drive systems), modular classroom labs, ASE-aligned curriculum, and instructor training workshops. Schools and colleges buy the kits, curriculum, and training services so students can build road-ready EVs in the classroom as part of CTE and STEM pathways.

Product overview

The Switch Lab™ is a comprehensive educational ecosystem centered on hands-on electric vehicle building for high school and college students. The portfolio consists of two core EV kit products—the Switch Lab EV – Advanced (PM/96v) with Permanent Magnet motor and the Switch Lab EV – Standard (DC/72v) with DC motor—complemented by a series of modular labs (EV Trainer™, Electric Systems Lab, Battery Lab, Relay Lab) that build foundational knowledge. The Electric Vehicle Curriculum provides integrated instructional content aligned with ASE technician standards, while the Instructor Training Workshop prepares educators to deliver the program. All products work together as a scalable pathway that takes students from electrical fundamentals to complete EV assembly, supporting STEM, CTE, and Common Core standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Switch Lab EV – Advanced (PM/96v)
• Switch Lab EV – Standard (DC/72v) A hands-on electric vehicle kit featuring a DC motor with a 72V system, designed for students to build a complete electric vehicle as part of an introductory educational pathway.
• EV Trainer™ An educational trainer unit for teaching electric vehicle fundamentals and basic EV systems concepts in a classroom setting as part of the EV education pathway.
• Electric Systems Lab An educational lab module for teaching electrical systems theory and hands-on wiring skills as part of the EV education pathway.
• Battery Lab An educational lab module focused on battery systems, teaching students about battery technology and safety in EV applications.
• Relay Lab An educational relay lab kit for teaching electrical circuit control concepts using wiring schematics and simulated 12V dashboard building.
• Electric Vehicle Curriculum Integrated curriculum tracks supporting a learning progression from foundational electrical concepts to advanced EV systems, aligned with ASE technician standards and supporting STEM, CTE, and Common Core instruction.
• Instructor Training Workshop A 5-day hands-on instructor workshop covering high-voltage safety, EV components, electrical systems, diagnostics, and full vehicle assembly, including ASE xEV materials, held at locations such as Sebastopol, CA and Canton, MI.

Quantifiable outcome

• 215% increase in class registrations at Mississippi Gulf Coast College
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Utah State University (ASPIRE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2026Utah State University's ASPIRE program utilized Switch Vehicles' electric vehicle platform for the first-ever ASPIRE Summer EV Academy. Fifteen high school students gained hands-on experience building EVs using Switch's educational platform. This partnership supports ASPIRE's mission to address workforce demand in electrified transportation.
• Advanced Transportation & Logistics ZEV Pilot ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-school pilot project demonstrating that schools can build clean transportation pathways using Switch Lab EV programs. The study of 50 high school CTE programs showed feasibility of workforce-aligned EV training, supported by industry and education partners.
• ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitch Vehicles is recognized as an Official Training Resource for ASE xEV certification. Their curriculum includes ASE xEV materials, and students can sign up for xEV exam prep through the Switch Lab program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): UTI operates accredited technical training institutes, including EV technician tracks, in partnership with OEMs. It is a broad incumbent in automotive technician education that competes with Switch Vehicles' community college customers for the same EV-trained student funnel.
• Lincoln Tech: Lincoln Tech is a for-profit career college with automotive technician programs that are adding EV curriculum. It serves the same student population as Switch Vehicles' community college customers and represents an alternative delivery channel for EV workforce training.
• Tesla START (Tesla's Automotive Technician Training Program): Tesla's branded EV technician training program operates at community and technical colleges, teaching high-voltage EV service. It is the strongest incumbent competitor in the same target customer segment (CTE programs and colleges) addressing the same EV workforce problem that Switch Vehicles solves.

Direct peers

• FSG (formerly Festo) / Amatrol: Amatrol produces hands-on training systems for industrial electricity, electrification, and mechatronics in technical schools and community colleges. They address the same CTE/customer base with reusable, kit-based training equipment complementary to Switch Vehicles' offering.
• Pitsco Education: Pitsco Education sells hands-on STEM, automotive, and engineering kits and curriculum to middle schools, high schools, and CTE programs. They overlap directly with Switch Vehicles in supplying kit-based, standards-aligned lab equipment for technical classrooms.

Emerging players

• VEX Robotics: VEX Robotics provides engineering and robotics kits, parts, and curriculum for K-12 STEM education. While focused on robotics rather than EVs, it competes for the same CTE/STEM curriculum budgets and instructor attention in high schools.
• Beyond Benign / Project Lead the Way (PLTW): PLTW provides standardized STEM and engineering curriculum pathways adopted in thousands of U.S. high schools. While not EV-specific, it competes for the same CTE/STEM curriculum budgets and teacher professional development slots that Switch Vehicles targets.

Others

• Snap-on Industrial / Education Solutions: Snap-on provides tools, diagnostics, and training/curriculum resources to automotive education programs. While not a direct kit competitor, it sits adjacent in the CTE procurement ecosystem and could expand into broader EV training platforms.
• Honeywell Transportation & Mobility (Garrett) Education Partnerships: Garrett Motion (Honeywell legacy) and similar auto suppliers engage in technician training partnerships tied to electrified powertrains. They illustrate the broader OEM/supplier pull into the EV education market where Switch Vehicles competes.

Regional players

• Festo Didactic / LabVolt Series: Festo Didactic (and the LabVolt lineup) supplies electrical, mechatronics, and energy training systems to technical schools and colleges worldwide. They are a comparable lab-apparatus supplier focused on hands-on electrical/EV pedagogy at the post-secondary level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/switchvehicles
• Facebookfacebook.com/theswitchlab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/switch-vehicles-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Switch Vehicles