PHOENIX – The Ohio State University & Wilberforce University team has been named the year two champion of the EcoCAR Electric Vehicle Challenge, followed by Georgia Tech in second place and McMaster University (Canada) in third. The year two competition challenged teams to complete a series of vehicle events, comparable to tests automakers conduct, to ensure the vehicles perform as expected. Teams also presented to judges in several categories.
A leader in automotive engineering education, the EcoCAR EV Challenge is a cross-disciplinary competition among 15 North American universities designed to build an EV talent pipeline and is managed by Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors and MathWorks. In the fall of 2023, teams received their 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ that they are reengineering to complete complex, real-world technical EV challenges, including enhancing the propulsion system to optimize energy efficiency, while maintaining consumer expectations for performance and driving experience for the remainder of the EV challenge.
“I’m proud that our office is able to celebrate this important milestone, where the vehicles underwent technical inspection, baseline testing, and subsystem designs to ensure their readiness for the final competition,” said Austin Brown, U.S. DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office director. “During Year Two of the EV Challenge, teams focused on completing propulsion and connected and automated vehicle system components vehicle integration. I can’t wait to see how the teams modify the vehicle using their new skills – both in this competition and in their careers after.”
Vehicles are expected to pass an On-Road Safety Evaluation, acceleration test, endurance and energy consumption test and longitudinal control test to evaluate the vehicle’s dynamic handling characteristics and verify the ability of the vehicle to safely perform maneuvers it would face in real-world driving situations. Teams also identified any areas of improvement as they look ahead to year three.
The Ohio State University & Wilberforce University EcoCAR team partnered together to compete in the EcoCAR EV Challenge, and the team strives to provide students with the skills and experience necessary to push the envelope of vehicle and sustainable technology, embrace diversity and foster a competitive spirit in both the competition and in their future careers. The winning team scored 781 out of 1,000 total points. Georgia Tech received 756 points and McMaster University trailed by just six points with 750 points.
“Congratulations to Ohio State and Wilberforce University team on their win,” said Chris Trush, GM’s director of Automated Driving and Active Safety Application Software. “As a long-time sponsor of Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions, it is exciting to present the teams with EVs and be a part of the hands-on opportunity students receive as they gather the necessary skills as they pursue careers in the automotive industry. We are looking forward to watching the students continue to grow and hone these skills throughout the remainder of the competition.”
The Tear Two final competition took place in two parts – May 13-18 in Yuma, Ariz. at General Motors’ Desert Proving Ground and May 19-22 in Phoenix.
“This year, MathWorks provided students with a deep stack of simulation, testing, and validation products to control their newly integrated propulsion systems and controls software on their LYRIQs,” said Lauren Tabolinksy, MathWorks’ Worldwide Student and Academic Programs manager. “It’s exciting to see the students use a rich set of Model-Based Design tools to build and test their designs as they expand their knowledge of the automotive industry.”
To view the full list of winners, visit the Year 2 Competition Tab.
