EcoCAR University Competition Aims at Advanced Electric Drive

Over the years, solutions to our transportation challenges have been explored by all major automakers and a great many of their suppliers. The result of this effort is the wide array of near-zero emission gasoline vehicles, clean diesels, and alternative fuel vehicles that have come to the fore over recent decades, plus those now in testing and demonstration.

The innovation being brought to bear isn’t limited to just established automotive companies, though. Bright young minds have also been encouraged to contribute their hard work and creativity through advanced vehicle technology competitions sponsored by the Department of Energy, and organized by Argonne National Laboratory, like the FutureCar and FutureTruck Challenges, the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge, Challenge X, and others.

The latest in this series is EcoCAR: the NeXt Challenge (www.green-garage.org). Along with DOE, EcoCAR sponsors include General Motors, the Canadian Government, the California Air Resources Board, and other government and industry leaders,

Like its predecessors, EcoCAR is a multi-year competition involving university teams from the U.S. and Canada. Its goal is to encourage student engineers to come up with designs that eke greater environment performance from a conventional model – in this case a Saturn Vue SUV – while retaining the vehicle’s safety and real-world performance.

Now in the first year of its three year program, EcoCAR’s 17 competing teams recently unveiled their unique vehicle architectures at the Washington Auto Show that represent their vision for the 'EcoCAR' of the future . Reflecting the diversity of the marketplace, the approaches these teams have chosen range from hydrogen fuel cell power to the integration of battery electric and range extended electric propulsion. All designs include plug-in capability and will use lithium-ion batteries. Competition vehicles incorporating liquid fuels to extend the range of their electric drive will use B20 biodiesel or E85 ethanol rather than petroleum fuel.

Competing universities include Embry Riddle Aeronautical University; Georgia Tech; Howard University; Michigan Technological University; Mississippi State University; Missouri University of Science and Technology; North Carolina State University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Texas Tech University; University of Ontario Institute of Technology; University of Victoria; University of Waterloo; University of Wisconsin; Virginia Tech; and West Virginia University.

At the end of its final year, EcoCAR vehicles engineered by these teams will be judged on their efficiency, environmental impacts, noise and vibration, safety, and workmanship. Performance, ride and handling, and consumer appeal are also important barometers of accomplishment. Team presentations to judges will additionally be made on each team’s accomplishments in mechanical, control, and electric engineering that have led to reaching the competition’s goals.