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 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.