Sixteen US college teams gathered at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory today to test their vehicles taking part of EcoCar: The Next Challenge. The three-year challenge pits college engineers against the real-world challenges of creating the most fuel efficient vehicle possible.
The teams met at the EPA lab for two weeks to submit their work to rigorous testing and data collection, which will then allow teams to adjust their vehicles and reach even higher mileage.
During the competition, student teams will demonstrate the vehicles so when compared to stock production vehicles they meet or exceed the following goals:
- Incorporate technologies that reduce petroleum energy consumption on the basis of a total fuel cycle well-to-wheel (WTW) analysis
- Increase vehicle energy efficiency
- Reduce criteria and WTW greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria emissions
- Maintain consumer acceptability in the areas of performance, utility and safety.
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During the three-year program, General Motors (GM) will provide vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, will provide competition management, team evaluation and technical and logistical support. Through sponsoring such advanced vehicle engineering competitions, GM and the U.S. Department of Energy are helping to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers.
See ecocarchallenge.org for further information
