EcoCar Debuts at Washington Auto Show

The EcoCar: The NeXt Challenge is a special program established by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors and sponsored by the Government of Canada and other sponsors which invites university students across North American to adjust a 2009 Saturn VUE in order to get better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions without altering engine performance and the consumer appeal. All EcoCar teams and designs are available via Green Garage, an online portal rolled out on February 3 at the Washington Auto Show.

"These students represent the future in automotive engineering, and the EcoCAR Challenge is providing them with the hands-on training and experience they need to prepare for advanced technology vehicle engineering," said David Rodgers, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at the DOE. "These student designs are innovative and ingenuous. Rarely do we have the opportunity to compare such a diverse range of advanced technology vehicles with so much promise."

In short terms, teams were encouraged to rely on several fuel-efficient technologies including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fuel cell, electric, and extended range electric vehicles and, even if each of the 17 designs is unique, there are several common attributes such as plug-in capability and lithium-ion batteries.

No less than eight of the EcoCar tems developed extended range electric vehicles, also known as REV, which “demonstrates full performance with an electric powertrain and can extend the range of the vehicle with its on-board fuel storage”. Six teams developed plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) while two group relied on fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PCPHEV). A single team chose to design a full function electric vehicle (FFEV), “which has an all-electric motor powering its drive train and has over 100 miles of range. It stores energy in batteries that can be charged using a home electrical outlet,” as GM said in a statement for the press.

For more details about the teams registered for the program as well as their designs, check out the official website of Green Garage.