News Briefs

EcoCAr Arrives At Georgia Tech

October 22, 2009

The wheels have arrived.

Following months of planning and preparing, students at Georgia Tech have finally received the car they hope to convert into a fuel-efficient, green machine that is eco-friendly, stylish and performance savvy.

EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge, along with its headline sponsors, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM), challenges 17 universities across the U.S. and Canada to redesign and reengineer a GM donated vehicle to further minimize fuel consumption and reduce emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance and consumer appeal. EcoCAR aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers by giving them the tools and experience necessary to secure a more energy-efficient future.

EcoCAR

As the student engineers from Georgia Tech embark on the second phase of the challenge, they will incorporate plug-in hybrid electric vehicle architecture powered by a lithium ion battery and fueled by ethanol into the vehicle. In the first phase of the competition, the team designed a virtual model of their vehicle using advanced software and computer modeling tools, which earned them keys to the vehicle so they could turn their cutting-edge simulations into reality. Now they have moved on to the physical stage of the competition which involves working under the hood of the vehicle and, ultimately, taking it on the road.

“EcoCAR gives students hands-on design and engineering experience,” said Dr. David Taylor, the student advisor. Our students have worked hard this past year, and they are excited for the opportunity to integrate their designs into the vehicle.”

EcoCAR is a three-year competition that builds on the 20-year history of DOE advanced vehicle technology competitions by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles that demonstrate leading-edge automotive technologies. GM provides vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The DOE and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation, technical and logistical support. Through this important partnership between government and industry, EcoCAR aims to inspire and support the next generation of scientists and engineers to unite around the common goal of sustainable mobility. Additional information about the EcoCAR competition and photos can be found online at:
http://www.ecocarchallenge.org; http://www.green-garage.org; http://archive.ecocarphoto.com/c/ecocarphoto

For more information Contact Don Fernandez (Phone: )