Transportation and Power Systems
EcoCar EV Challenge
A research and experimental learning competition that challenges hundreds of students to engineer next-generation novel technologies for battery EVs.
The EcoCAR EV Challenge is a four-year Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition (AVTC) that challenges 15 North American universities to engineer a next generation battery electric vehicle/ 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ utilizing automation and vehicle to everything (V2X) connectivity to implement energy efficient customer-pleasing features and meet the decarbonization needs of the automotive industry.
The EcoCAR Competitions Group works in partnership with government and industry to provide a hands-on, real-world STEM experience that:
- Fosters a skilled workforce that maintains the competitiveness of the North American auto industry.
- Replicates a start-up automotive industry environment and challenges students to weigh all the tradeoffs of their design, such as energy efficiency, performance, and consumer features.
- Leads students to develop exceptional leadership, teamwork, and professional skills that will better prepare them for their future careers.
- Incorporates the use of math-based tools to improve engineering education.
- Provides a platform to facilitate systems-level engineering curriculum and instruction in engineering departments at an elevated level.
- Enables participants to develop and refine complex vehicle control systems using industry testing/validation processes and methodologies.
- Challenges teams to identify and address mobility solutions for members of their local community through the application of innovative hardware and software solutions.
- Teams will strive to recruit and retain students from a variety of backgrounds and academic majors to develop cross-disciplinary project teams that reflect the dynamics of the modern workforce.
- Implements youth outreach and recruiting initiatives that promote careers in STEM.