UOIT's EcoCAR team revving up for Year 3 of The NeXt Challenge

Oshawa, ON - Fresh off an impressive showing last spring, University of Ontario Institution of Technology (UOIT) automotive engineering students are gearing up to take another giant step forward in the third and final year of EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge. UOIT is one just 16 North American universities (and one of just three in Canada) taking part in the prestigious automotive engineering competition sponsored by General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The UOIT team is ready to refine its vehicle and put its finished product to the ultimate test in 2011.

"We developed a strong design in Year One and persevered though many challenges in Year Two in order to see our vehicle move from vision to the road, said UOIT EcoCAR co-team leader Gavin Clark. "Heading into the final phase, we're focused on refining our work and bringing the strongest possible vehicle to Finals, but the major takeaway for the students involved is how the competition is preparing us for our own careers in the industry."

The EcoCAR Finals will see all teams convene in Washington, D.C. next June where each university's vehicle will go through a full range of dynamic testing. UOIT is the only team in the competition to have designed a full-function electric vehicle. The system - which boasts a 400 kilometre range - is powered by an 110 kilowatt electric motor and fueled by 84 high energy density lithium polymer batteries.

In the first year of the competition in 2009, students used real-world design tools to develop a vehicle with minimal environmental impact that maintained consumer appeal. This year, the UOIT team implemented its cutting-edge, eco-friendly design into a hybrid vehicle donated by General Motors (GM). In May, all of the participating teams gathered at GM's Desert Proving Grounds in Yuma, Arizona to compete in engineering tests similar to those used to determine a prototype's readiness for production. UOIT placed a strong sixth overall and won top marks in two categories: for the car's performance when changing lanes at high speed and for dynamic consumer acceptability based on handling, noise and vibration.

EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge builds on a history of similar automotive engineering competitions. By sponsoring and organizing such programs, GM and the U.S. DOE are aiding in development of the next generation of engineers. The competition enables students to apply classroom knowledge to a practical project while working toward solutions for real-world problems.

The other 15 competing universities are: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Georgia Tech; Michigan Technological University; Mississippi State University; Missouri University of Science and Technology; North Carolina State University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Texas Tech University; University of Victoria; University of Waterloo; University of Wisconsin; Virginia Tech; and West Virginia University.

Additional information about EcoCAR: The NeXt Competition is available on the Internet at www.ecocarchallenge.org or at the UOIT EcoCAR team's website at www.uoit.ca/ecocar.

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Media contact
Bryan Oliver
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2209
289.928.3653
bryan.oliver@uoit.ca