EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge was a yearly competition from 2008 to 2011, that built on the 19-year history of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) advanced vehicle technology competitions by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles to demonstrate cutting-edge automotive technologies, with the goal of minimizing the environmental impact of future personal transportation. The DOE has again joined General Motors (GM), the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...

(Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada), and other sponsors for this new competition series, named the EcoCAR Challenge. Argonne National Laboratory, a DOE research and development facility, will organize and operate the EcoCAR Challenge. Some previous types of advanced vehicle technology competitions include FutureTruck, FutureCar, and Challenge X. these type of competitions are usually supported by one or more of the Big Three American Automobile Manufacturers.

Background on EcoCAR

The DOE announced a Notice of Program Interest for North American colleges and universities with accredited engineering programs to compete for the opportunity to participate in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge—a new international collegiate vehicle engineering competition—through a request-for-proposal (RFP) process in 2008. EcoCAR seeks to advance the level of vehicle technology capable of reducing petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while demonstrating the real-world performance of a range of technology options. Schools interested in receiving an RFP describing in detail the requirements for competing for one of the up to 17 available slots in EcoCAR were invited to express their interest.

Technology Development

The technologies explored in EcoCAR are identical to those being investigated by the automotive industry to meet the demands of improved energy efficiency and dramatic reductions in Greenhouse gas (GHG)s, as well as to address California zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) regulations. These technologies include full-function electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell hybrid vehicles. The only fuels approved for use in EcoCAR are E10 ethanol, E85 ethanol, B20 biodiesel, compressed gaseous hydrogen, and the energy carrier electricity. Teams selected will design and integrate advanced-technology powertrains, lightweight materials, and aerodynamic improvements into a production vehicle. Using this approach, EcoCAR will explore pathways for future vehicles while giving the student participants the knowledge and experience they need to rapidly develop critical engineering skills and become the next generation of leaders in the automotive industry. EcoCAR is based on a real-world integrated vehicle design and development process. Teams of engineers from the selected schools will develop their vehicles following a modified GM Global Vehicle Development Process (GVDP) for each phase of the three-year competition. By the end of the competition, the sponsors expect fully developed vehicles equivalent to prototypes ready for a production decision. While applying proven methods for engineering successful prototype vehicles, students will learn real-world engineering skills that will make them highly effective in the automotive industry. At the conclusion of each of EcoCAR’s three years, a week-long competition involving all of the participating schools will take place at a GM vehicle proving ground or other appropriate location in North America.

Participation

Teams will receive $10,000 in seed money in Year One, a wide range of powertrain components, a vehicle donated by GM, and technical and mentoring support from the competition sponsors. EcoCAR teams will also have a GM mentor knowledgeable in technologies relevant to the team assigned to assist them during the competition. Substantial funds will also be provided to each university to support a full-time graduate student who will provide the team with leadership and continuity over the three-year program. Schools will be required to match cash seed money donations from EcoCAR sponsors and to provide class credit for students participating in the competition, release time equal to at least one class per semester for a faculty advisor from the engineering school, and logistical and promotional support for their team. Teams may also be asked to match seed money each year to support a full-time, graduate-level engineering team leader. A signed letter of support will be required from the Dean of the Engineering Department with each proposal. If accepted into EcoCAR, each school will be required to sign an annual Good Faith Agreement reaffirming the school's full support of their team and explicitly stating its willingness to participate in all EcoCAR activities with at least one faculty advisor in attendance.

Outreach

As part of the competition, EcoCAR teams are required to participate in different types of outreach events. These events include things such as press releases, community outreach, K-12 education, etc. Each team is asked to reach out to their communities and get them interested in EcoCAR.

Results

In Year One (2009), teams use modeling and simulation to develop their vehicle architecture. In Year Two (2010), designs are turned into functioning prototype vehicles. In Year Three (2011), Vehicles are refined to "Near Showroom Quality". Year Three was the final year of the EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge competition, succeeded b
EcoCAR 2
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EcoCAR 3

Universities Competing in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge

17 universities competed in the three-year span competition EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge.Howard University only competed between 2008-2009. * Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL
Team Website
* Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA
Team Website
*

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

(Washington, D.C.) * Michigan Technological University (Houghton, MI) * Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS
Team Website
*

Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri University of Science and Technology, or Missouri S&T, is a public research university in Rolla, Missouri. It is a member institution of the University of Missouri System. Most of its 7,645 students (fall 2020) study engineering, busi ...

(Rolla, MO) * North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC) *

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

(Columbus, OH
Team Website
* Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA
Team Website
* Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, IN
Team Website
*

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sy ...

(Lubbock, TX
Team Website
*

University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ontario Tech University (OTU), also known as Ontario Tech, is a public research university located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus is located on approximately of land in northern Oshawa, while its secondary satellite cam ...

(Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Team Website
*

University of Victoria The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary insti ...

(Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Team Website
*

University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo, UW, or Waterloo) is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is on of land adjacent to "Uptown" Waterloo and Waterloo Park. The university also operates ...

(Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) *

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

(Madison, WI) *

Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...

(Blacksburg, VA
Team Website
*

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...

(Morgantown, WV)

Notes

References

{{Reflist * About EcoCAR. Argonne National Laboratories. https://web.archive.org/web/20161023072933/http://ecocarchallenge.org/about_ecocar.html. Retrieved 2009-3-30. * EcoCAR, a. Argonne National Laboratories. http://www.ecocarchallenge.org. Retrieved on 2009-2-20. * EcoCAR, b. "2008 Competition Rules". Argonne National Laboratories. https://web.archive.org/web/20080329222703/http://www.ecocarchallenge.org/. Retrieved on 2008-11-24. * Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team. Burkholder, Graham; Gantt, Lynn; Nelson, Doug; Robinson, Adam; Sewell, Brandon; Sewell Brian; Stover, Mike. http://www.me.vt.edu/hevt. Retrieved 2009-3-30. Alternative education Automotive technologies Engineering competitions Engineering education Green vehicles One-off cars Student competitions

Background on EcoCAR

Technology Development

Participation

Outreach

Results

Sponsors

Headline

Diamond

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Universities Competing in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge

Notes

References