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Did You Know?

AVTCs added upstream criteria (CO, NOx, THC) emission testing into the scored deliverables in EcoCAR 2
Colorado State University designed and built their own fuel cell stacks for their hydrogen vehicle in EcoCAR 2
EcoCAR 2 implemented a 4-cycle drive cycle to reflect current test methods at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ohio State University developed a dual clutch automated manual transmission in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge marked the first time a hardware-in-the loop activity was introduced into an academic setting
University of Ontario Institute of Technology built a custom designed Li+ pack based on Kokam technology
University of Idaho has created the world’s first Tri-brid, combining hydraulic, ultracapacitors, and a combustion engine in one vehicle
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge offered assistantships to communication students provided by Clean Cities – a first in AVTC history!
In Year Three of EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge, Virginia Tech team hit incremental goals that helped the vehicle achieve fuel efficiency of 81.9 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent, or 70 percent over the stock vehicle
In Year Three of EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge two hydrogen fuel cell vehicles placed in the top 6 overall – an AVTC first!
The University of Texas at Austin was one of the first teams to include MP3 and GPS connectivity into their student-designed vehicle in 2008
The first ‘Outstanding Women in Engineering’ award was introduced in 2006
University of Waterloo competed successfully in every event as a fully functional fuel cell vehicle in 2005 – a first for a fuel cell vehicle in advanced technology vehicle competitions
Ethanol Vehicle Challenge marked the first time students were allowed to reconfigure and alter vehicle powertrain control modules
Illinois Institute of Technology built a dynamometer facility to test hybrid powertrains in 2000, in part due to AVTCs
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge was originally called Challengenext
FutureTruck was originally named FutureCar 2000, a continuation of the previous AVTC
University of Wisconsin-Madison scored 973 of 1,000 possible points in 1999 FutureCar, making it the highest amount of points received in an AVTC
University of California, Davis’ Faculty Advisor Andy Frank was the first advisor to win the National Science Foundation ‘Outstanding Faculty Advisor’ award in 1997
Cost and manufacturing potential was introduced as a scored event in the 1997 FutureCar Challenge
Fuel cell technology was first introduced in AVTCs in 1998
FutureCar was the first competition to feature the “Big 3” – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler
University of Maryland was the first team to use a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in 1994
Detroit Edison was able to gather data from HEV Challenge & FutureCar to help support mass-produced electric vehicles for commercial fleets
Former University of Maryland faculty advisor David Holloway was elected as SAE President in 1997
HEVs built by University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Maryland, and University of California-Davis were used to evaluate SAE draft HEV emissions test procedures for J1711
Old Dominion University and Siemens Automotive worked together to invent a multi-alternative-fuel injector that Chrysler put into production of their CNG vehicles
Carroll Shelby was the Grand Marshall of the 1997 Propane Vehicle Challenge
AVTCs were originally called Student Engineering Research Competitions until 1998 when they become AVTCs
51 different universities competed in HEV Challenge over three years
1995 was the first time consumer acceptability was included in AVTCs
UC-Davis achieved 53.4 miles on full-electric range in 1993
HEV Challenge was the only AVTC that allowed for ground-up vehicles.
NGV Challenge featured both CNG and LNG vehicles
In 1992, Illinois Institute of Technology achieved  a 20.5 MPG with their GMC Sierra 2500
The first vehicle ever re-engineered in AVTCs was a 1988 Chevrolet Corsica LT
Concordia University was the first team to win “Best Acceleration” in 1989
Methanol Marathon’s Road Rally in 1988 was 1,230 miles long
Methanol Marathon vehicles were the first student vehicles tested on federal emissions testing procedures at U.S. EPA
93 participant universities in North America since 1988
562 individual university teams have competed since 1988
More than 16,500 students have been involved
On average, about 75% of graduates enter automotive industry upon graduation
Methanol Marathon was the first DOE-sponsored student vehicle competition that also had a major auto manufacturer as a sponsor

About us

For more than 30 years, the U.S. Department of Energy has sponsored Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions in partnership with the North American auto industry. Featuring opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students, these competitions stimulate the development of advanced propulsion and alternative fuel technologies and provide the training ground for the next generation of automotive engineers.

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Previous Competitions

From Methanol Marathon in 1988 to EcoCAR 3 in 2014, more than 16,500 students from more than 93 educational institutions in North America have participated in 11 different AVTCs. Learn more about each competition, including innovations, award winners, universities involved, photos and video, and alumni by visiting each competition series.

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Upcoming Events

  • EcoCAR Mobility Challenge Year Two Fall Workshop

    September 26-28, 2019

  • EcoCAR Mobility Challenge Year Two Winter Workshop

    Feb 6-8, 2020

  • EcoCAR Mobility Challenge Year Two Competition

    May 10-21, 2020