AFV Educate

What AFV Educate does

AFV Educate Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, founded in 2021 by Chris Womock (Captain, Indianapolis Fire Department; 18 years teaching firefighters about alternative fuel vehicles) and Micheal Smyth (former Director of West Virginia University's National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium; 20+ years developing AFV training), operating from the Morgantown, West Virginia area. The company develops and delivers virtual and on-site alternative fuel and electric vehicle training to pre- and in-service professionals across three audiences: first responders (firefighters, law enforcement, EMS), second responders (tow operators, automotive salvage personnel), and automotive technicians.

The core product portfolio consists of 14+ instructor-led training courses covering electric and hybrid electric vehicles, CNG, LNG, propane autogas, and collision repair scenarios, delivered through on-site instructor-led classes at customer facilities, live virtual instructor-led sessions, and recorded internet-based streaming video. The curriculum is taught by first-responder instructors and addresses identification, safety systems, emergency response procedures, extrication techniques, diagnostics, and maintenance/repair, with the most emphasized area being firefighter AFV training, where AFV Educate cites NFPA data showing less than ten percent of U.S. firefighters have received such training. Beyond training delivery, the company offers custom curriculum development, fleet development consulting, subject-matter expert services, safety program development, and grant development/administration support.

The business model combines fee-for-service training delivery (on-site, virtual, recorded) with grant-funded programming enabled by its 501(c)(3) status, including inclusion as a support-role partner in federal/state grant applications through the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Program coalition network. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is described as "very competitive." Distribution is direct to fire departments, EMS agencies, automotive shops, and tow/salvage operators, supplemented by channel partnerships with Clean Cities coalitions and a self-described national delivery footprint. The organization has received at least one disclosed grant ($346,000 from the ACT Now Coalition) and operates with 1-10 employees.

Name

AFV Educate

Legal name

AFV Educate Inc.

Website

https://afveducate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AFV Educate is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that develops and delivers on-site and virtual alternative fuel and electric vehicle training for first responders, second responders, and automotive technicians, partnering with the U.S. DOE Clean Cities coalition network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Fuel, Hybrid & EV Service (High-Voltage) (EDAOAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Diagnostics & Electrical Systems (EDAOAEAB), Powertrain, Drivetrain & Transmission Specialist Training (EDAOAEAJ), Automotive (EDABALAB)

Keywords

• Alternative fuel vehicle training
• Electric vehicle safety training
• First responder training
• Automotive technician training
• Firefighter EV training

Headquarters

HQ city

Morgantown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Course Delivery: AFV Educate generates revenue through fees for instructor-led on-site training, live virtual training sessions, and recorded course access. Training is delivered at competitive pricing to fire departments, EMS agencies, automotive repair facilities, and other organizations needing AFV training.
2. Grant Funding: As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), AFV Educate receives grant funding to support training initiatives. Received $346,000 ACT Now Coalition grant for entrepreneurship support to help communities and small businesses prepare for green jobs.
3. Custom Curriculum Development: AFV Educate constructs custom training curricula for organizations and serves as subject matter experts, providing consultation on fleet development, safety programs, and grant development/administration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AFV Educate develops and presents curriculum for alternative fuel vehicle training across electric, hybrid electric, CNG, LNG, and propane autogas vehicles, targeting first responders, second responders, and automotive technicians. Training is delivered through instructor-led live on-site classes at customer facilities, live virtual instructor-led streaming, and recorded internet-based video presentations. The company also provides custom curriculum development, subject-matter expert consulting, safety program development, fleet development consulting, and grant development/administration support.

Product overview

AFV Educate is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of alternative fuel vehicle training programs. The company provides instructor-led on-site training and live/virtual streaming video presentations for first responders (firefighters, law enforcement, EMS), second responders (tow operators, automotive salvage personnel), and automotive technicians. The core product portfolio includes Firefighter Electric Vehicle Training, Firefighter Gaseous Fuel Vehicle Training, Firefighter Electric Vehicle Extrication Training, Law Enforcement Electric Vehicle Training, Law Enforcement Gaseous Fuel Vehicle Training, EMS Electric Vehicle Training, EMS Gaseous Fuel Vehicle Training, Tow Truck Operator AFV Training, Automotive Salvage AFV Training, Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technician Training, Natural Gas Vehicle Technician Training, CNG Fuel System Inspector Training, Propane Autogas Vehicle Technician Training, and Collision Repair AFV Training. Additionally, the company offers professional services including custom curricula development, fleet development consulting, subject matter expert services, alternative fuel technology lectures, safety program development, and grant administration support. Training is delivered through multiple mediums including instructor-led live on-site classes, live and recorded internet-based streaming video presentations, and custom programs tailored to specific organizational needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Firefighter Electric Vehicle Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 10% of nation's firefighters have AFV training (NFPA statistic), indicating massive training gap that AFV Educate addresses
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFV Educate has launched a unique program to support the needs of the Clean Cities Coalition network. Their expertise in developing and producing AFV training content for firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, automotive technicians, and schools directly supports the mission of the U.S. DOE Clean Cities program. AFV content is delivered through multiple mediums including instructor-led on-site classes and live/recorded internet video.
• Louisiana Clean FuelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLouisiana Clean Fuels works with AFV Educate on multiple training events. Director Ann Vail recognizes Chris Womock as a leader in alternative fuel vehicle training and collaborates on bringing training to responders in Louisiana.
• West Virginia University / National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichael Smyth, co-founder of AFV Educate, previously served as Director for WVU's NAFTC and authored award-winning curriculum programs including 'Firefighter First Responder Alternative Fuel Vehicle Training' for West Virginia University.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bosch Automotive Service Solutions: Major automotive aftermarket supplier that develops and delivers EV/hybrid technician training and diagnostic curriculum; competes for the same technician audience via OEM-tier credibility.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): Large for-profit technical school offering automotive technician training including EV/hybrid curricula across multiple campuses; competes for the technician training segment and employer-sponsored workforce development contracts.
• Lincoln Tech: Multi-campus private career school with automotive technology programs covering hybrid/EV service; broader and more generalist than AFV Educate but overlaps in the technician training segment.

Direct peers

• EV Safety Training (Electric Vehicle Safety Training, Inc.): Niche private provider offering first responder and technician training specifically on electric and hybrid vehicle safety, emergency response, and extrication; overlaps closely with AFV Educate's EV curriculum and customer base.
• Tesla First Responder Training: Tesla's official program that trains first responders on high-voltage EV safety and extrication; cited as a benchmark even by AFV Educate's own Tesla Technical Lead customer testimonial. Competes for the same first-responder audience and is OEM-funded.
• National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) at West Virginia University: The federally/university-backed predecessor where AFV Educate co-founder Micheal Smyth was Director; offers first responder, technician, and fleet AFV training across the same fuel types (EV, CNG, propane, hydrogen) and audiences. Most directly comparable institution.

Others

• SAE International: Standards and professional development organization offering EV/HEV training, certifications, and learning content for engineers and technicians; an adjacent ecosystem player whose training programs compete in the same AFV technical education category.
• National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE): Issues the dominant U.S. automotive technician certifications, including an EV/Hybrid certification; an adjacent standards/certification body that defines the credentialing pathway AFV Educate's technician courses feed into.
• Rescue 42: Manufacturer of extrication tooling (e.g., the Simulaid rescue training simulator) and provider of extrication training programs for firefighters; adjacent to AFV Educate's firefighter extrication curriculum and a potential curriculum/tooling partner.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) / U.S. DOE Clean Cities Program: Federal program that AFV Educate partners with to distribute training through Clean Cities Coalitions; an enabling ecosystem partner/funder rather than direct competitor, but sets much of the federal AFV training agenda.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 AFV Educate