Background

The EcoCAR EV Challenge was a four-year collegiate automotive engineering competition that challenged 15 North American universities to engineer a next generation battery electric vehicle.

General Motors provided each team with a 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ where teams demonstrated the potential of advanced propulsion systems, connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies, and other innovative technologies to analyze energy efficiency.

EcoCAR teams utilized a combination of on-board sensors and bidirectional vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity to implement energy efficient and customer-pleasing automated control features. Teams also refined advanced powertrain along with charging and thermal systems to use grid electricity intelligently.

Innovations & Highlights

Over four years, the EcoCAR EV Challenge brought together 1,600 students from 15 universities and 51 majors to design, build, test, and refine Cadillac LYRIQs while developing the skills needed to shape the future of mobility.

Teams logged 19,000 miles of testing and completed 63 testing events at GM Milford Proving Ground, turning model-based designs into working vehicles through creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and perseverance. Along the way, students navigated technical challenges, failures, breakdowns, and recovery plans that transformed obstacles into opportunities to learn and improve.

Beyond the vehicle, EcoCAR students made an impact in their communities through 188 outreach events that reached 42,000 youth. Their experience was strengthened by 26 sponsors who provided $16.9 million in support and more than 1,000 hours of training throughout the four-year competition.

2023

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2024

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2025

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2026

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Universities Involved

Winners & Awards

Take a look back on the successes of teams throughout the EcoCAR EV Challenge