Written by: Brittany Holt
West Virginia University has a rich history participating in the Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions, spanning over three decades. Beginning in 1988 with the Methanol Marathon, WVU has participated in 10 of the last 13 AVTC cycles. Recently, WVU had the pleasure of catching up with Billy Cawthorne, a former WVU student who participated in the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge.
Cawthorne started his freshman year at WVU in the fall of 2017. He made up his mind early to attend WVU, thanks to his familiarity with the university.
“I always wanted to follow the path that my dad did and go to [WVU] and eventually work for [General Motors],” Cawthorne said.
Cawthorne’s father, William Cawthorne, attended WVU for his undergraduate and graduate degrees in the ‘90s. He was involved in the Hybrid Electric Vehicle Challenge and FutureCar Challenge, two former AVTCs. He now holds the title of assistant chief engineer for BEV propulsion systems at General Motors. He also serves as WVU’s General Motors mentor, a consistent point of contact for the EcoCAR team.
“We have a family connection [to EcoCAR],” Cawthorne laughed. “I knew [EcoCAR] was something that had interested me before I got to WVU.”
After touring the EcoCAR 3 garage during his freshman year, Cawthorne began his involvement with the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge in the spring of his sophomore year. During his tenure with the team, he worked on the propulsion systems integration team, now called the systems design and integration team. This team is responsible for designing the dynamic systems that will work as one to create a functioning vehicle. It was there that Cawthorne honed his skills as an engineer, modifying the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer.
In May 2021, Cawthorne graduated from the Statler College of Engineering with his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He was hired at General Motors upon graduation in the organization’s two-year rotational track. Cawthorne is currently a controls design engineer, working on propulsion in hybrid and electric vehicles at General Motors.
When asked how his involvement in EcoCAR impacted who he is today, Billy’s passion was evident.
“I would not be where I am today without EcoCAR,” Cawthorne said. “I can’t sing the praises of EcoCAR enough. The experiences I had through EcoCAR were extremely valuable. I have lifelong friends that also were able to get jobs with great engineering companies in the Detroit area that I still get to see all the time. There’s definitely a personal benefit outside of work. EcoCAR has been extremely impactful on my life now, in a great way.”
Billy Cawthorne’s story is a testament to the impact of engineering initiatives like EcoCAR on universities across North America. His experience, influenced by family ties and a deep-rooted connection to EcoCAR, underscores the spirit of AVTCs. EcoCAR gave him and his peers a collaborative environment to produce a vehicle that they were proud of.
Not everyone is going to have a multigenerational relationship that leads them into a project like EcoCAR, but new generations of students are gaining experience from the experiential learning environment that the program provides to facilitate interest and success in the EV industry.
