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EcoCAR is a collegiate competition which allows students to design advanced technologies into a competition vehicle. This competition is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM). The purpose is to investigate new technologies in order to explore solutions to the countries growing energy crisis. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univeristy (ERAU) will implement a multi-disciplinary approach to the design and manufacturing of the EcoCAR. Departments within the College of Engineering will collaborate in order to design and integrate the systems into the the competition vehicle. ERAU plans to build upon experience of two years reigning national champions of the SAE Formula Hybrid competition. The EcoCAR project allows students to design, build and integrate their solutions into an existing production vehicle. Solutions such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell drive train technologies will be explored. The EcoCAR project is not limited to only to hybrid systems, but also aims to investigate the usage of alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel and hydrogen. In addition to modifying the drivetrain, advanced composite materials will be used in order to improve upon the existing aerodynamics of the vehicle. The EcoCAR project will challenge students to design and implement technologies in order to: - Incorporate petroleum consumption reducing technologies
- Increase vehicle energy efficiency
- Maintain acceptable consumer vehicle performance
The ERAU team offers varied student interest, backgrounds and significant expertise unrivaled by other institutions. ERAU has widely recognized strengths in advanced materials, computational fluid dynamics, systems engineering, and aerospace propulsion systems. With a track record of successful student projects and the third largest SAE International chapter worldwide (formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers), ERAU has a strong foundation for success in the EcoCAR Challenge. The ERAU campus located in Daytona Beach, Florida provides an ideal setting for the EcoCAR project. Daytona Beach is the "Birthplace of Speed" and is home to automotive innovations and provides significant outreach opportunities. Daytona Beach home to multiple automotive and transportation companies such as NASCAR, International Speedway Corporation, Crane Cams, Grand American Road Racing and American Industrial Plastics. |
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Embry-Riddle’s EcoEagles team seeks design and engineering ideas from the ERAU student body. The EcoEagles will be designing the next generation plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for the EcoCAR Challenge. The design work will be conducted throughout the 2008-2009 year and implementation will begin in Summer 2009. We are accepting proposals for fresh ideas to improve the performance, operability, appearance, and/or fuel economy of the vehicle. We are looking for fresh, new ideas, but not ideas that are too far from reality. Declaring that a small nuclear reactor should be stashed under the back seat won’t be considered to be competitive. Concepts should be supported with sound engineering analysis and documented with CAD drawings, as needed to communicate the concept effectively. Students interested in submitting a proposal should consider the following: - Proposals may be from individuals or teams
- Proposals should be a maximum of three pages
- Proposals should not reveal any proprietary or confidential information
- Proposals will be accepted through the team’s website www.ecoeagles.org
- To submit the proposal, one must register on the website
- Proposals will be judged based on innovation, engineering and documentation
- Funds for each proposal are subject to availability
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge is a three-year competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors, Natural Resources Canada and other sponsors. The Saturn VUE base vehicle will be donated by General Motors, and additional funding will be provided through local fundraising efforts. EcoCAR provides engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles that demonstrate leading-edge automotive technologies with the goal of minimizing the environmental impact of personal transportation while illustrating pathways to a sustainable transportation future. EcoCAR provides a unique three-year hands-on educational experience for students in various engineering disciplines, as well as business, marketing, communications, journalism, computer science and other fields that address societal issues. For more information about the competition, visit www.ecocarchallenge.org. Please submit your proposal here. |
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