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In 1987, The U.S. Department of Energy began sponsoring Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTC). More than 16,000 students from more than 600 institutions in North America have participated in one of these hands-on learning opportunities. To date, there have been more than 45 different competitions. Take a moment to reflect back on some of the competitions over the years and look how far we’ve come!
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This year, Virginia Tech awarded over 300 students with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. While most chose to work in defense in the Washington, D.C. area, many chose another career path. This year, over a third of the students who worked on the Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team of Virginia Tech as a senior design project for EcoCAR Year Two have secured various automotive jobs with Liebherr Mining Equipment, Altec Industries, General Motors and Ford Motor Company. Five students on the team chose to work at General Motors, a headline sponsor of the EcoCAR Challenge, along with the Department of Energy. These students chose to work for GM because of the information learned in creating an extended range electric vehicle that uses stored grid electricity and E85 fuel for propulsion. While the EcoCAR students have only been working for a few weeks, they are already deep into their new assignments. Of the five students at GM, HEVT placed two in full-time positions.
Brian Fiore is currently working full-time with General Motors in the Powertrain department at the Milford Proving Grounds. His official title is “6-Speed Algorithm Design Development Engineer”, which means that he works on the design and calibration of 6-speed transmissions. This work involves writing code in C and then testing the code changes on a transmission controller in a physical vehicle.
Michael Kearney is working in Hybrid Vehicle Integration. In Human Interface Displays and Gauges, he will be helping develop and test the algorithms being implemented in the hybrid driver displays for the Chevy Volt (such as EV range, efficiency, and charging) and upcoming PHEV and BAS+ (Belted Alternator Starter) platforms.
Four students are working as summer interns before returning to graduate school at VT.
Jesse Alley is working in the new state-of-the-art Battery Systems Lab in Warren, MI testing the air-cooled battery pack for the Chevrolet Volt. The goal of his work is to characterize the thermal management system at the pack level. Because the pack is the first of its kind and more are sure to follow, a secondary goal is to develop a methodology for characterizing the thermal system of a liquid-cooled battery pack.
Jonathan King is developing and testing a new optimization strategy for the BAS+ mild hybrid system. He will work on adapting the code developed for two and four mode transmissions to the BAS+ system. This will involve expanding the code to work with six gears and handle torque converter dynamics. The goal of the project is to determine whether fuel efficiency can be improved through the use of this system.
Lynn Gantt is working on Hardware-in-the-Loop validation for ABS (Antilock Brakes) and stability control validation for vehicles that are completely in math. With this philosophy, GM can build a few test vehicle variations and validate the remaining combinations (several hundred) using lab tests. His role as Team Leader prepared him for the global scope of his work with Korea on the Chevy Spark and Aveo.
Patrick Walsh has worked in the automotive industry before but this summer chose to spend it at Argonne National Laboratory as a research aide. He is working on comparing the new, third generation (2010) Toyota Prius drive train to that of a second generation (2004) Prius. The end goal of the research is to determine where improvements or differences in performance or efficiency were achieved in the new model. The majority of Patrick’s time is spent in the Advanced Powertrain Research Facility, which includes a state-of-the-art 4WD chassis dynamometer capable of simulating vehicle road loads.
Frank Falcone, one of EcoCAR’s key organizers and technical coordinators (and former competition alumni), was a Safety & Technical Inspector in this year’s competition and explained that although it was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun.
“Working in the pits with the teams is still the best part of the whole competition year for us,” said Frank. “We see the teamwork, camaraderie, learning, and triumph. We see the strength of spirit in the face of insurmountable challenges. We see the amazing results when students throw themselves at an engineering project with everything they’ve got. It reminds us why what we do is so important and we feel lucky to be a part of it. We can’t wait to do it again next year!”
After the craziness of Finals, we had the opportunity to sit down with Frank and discuss the safety/tech inspections:
GG: What is the first step in the safety/tech process, Frank?
FF: The whole process actually began a couple of days before the students arrived at GM’s Desert Proving Ground for competition. The vehicles were put through a 320 point inspection and the results were logged by the inspection team. The goal here is to give the teams a list of action items, so that they can hit the ground running and know what to focus on when they arrive at the Proving Ground on the first day. This was intended to help them get through the inspection as fast as possible and on to the fun part: driving their vehicles in the competition. This also gave us inspectors a chance to get familiar with the diverse powertrains. This process took about two days and then the students arrived.
GG: What was next?
FF: As the day moves on, many teams passed inspections and moved on to road safety evaluations. Other teams continued to address issues.
GG: Are the inspectors the only people involved in this process or were others helping out?
FF: GM’s Proving Ground technicians were an invaluable resource in this process. Some vehicles needed better protective covers, others didn’t have enough ground clearance. Whatever the issue, if it required fabrication, the Proving Ground techs were on it. We just could not have gotten by without them.
GG: What were the biggest challenges for teams during the safety/tech inspections?
FF: Invariably, there was a group of teams that struggled to get through the inspection process, for a number of different reasons: taking on exceptionally complex designs, suffering an equipment issue-related setback, or just bad luck. Sometimes it was all three. This can be a challenging time for teams and inspectors. The pressure is mounting because we all know time is running out to get through safety tech and on to competing in events. Inevitably, we have to deliver the hard news when time is up. There were probably a lot of students that felt like giving up but instead this was where we saw the true spirit of the competition come through.
GG: What teams showed that resilience and drive this year?
FF: Some teams that kept on keepin’ on were Embry-Riddle, Missouri Science & Technology, University of Waterloo, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Michigan Tech. Each had their own story, but all made huge progress and didn’t stop trying until it was time to move on to San Diego for the second, non-vehicle half of the competition. In the case of MS&T and Waterloo they might have realized early on that their odds of getting through tech inspection were not good but you wouldn’t know it. They built plug-in fuel cell electric vehicles which made for extremely integration intensive powertrains that also had electrical engineering challenges beyond most of the others. Embry-Riddle and Michigan Tech had control related issues that could not be surmounted even with the help of the GM staff. Michigan Tech’s plight was made more difficult by the departure of key team members who were hired into industry just prior to the competition. Rose-Hulman saw a large team turnover at the beginning of the new year which meant their team of mostly undergraduate students had to catch up and do so quickly. They came from an empty vehicle to one that was mostly complete in only a few months. While they missed the safety tech cutoff, they eventually got their vehicle running on all systems and were allowed to do low speed shake down driving in a designated area. Whatever the reason, the teams that did not make it through safety/tech inspections in time carried on despite that setback and made us very proud of them.
GG: This being the first vehicle year of the EcoCAR competition series, we know it’s really a struggle for teams to get fully functional. Were there any special stories you could share with us about teams who almost got there?
FF: Almost every team has a similar story this year – struggling through so many complex challenges to develop a running vehicle. But two stories at the competition really hit home for me. The University of Victoria, or UVic as we affectionately call them, suffered a major mechanical failure that was a major setback and a crushing blow to the team. The UVic team was one of the hardest working all year and made a tremendous effort to get their 2 mode transmission working in all modes. In spite of all their challenges they also worked to help out other 2 mode teams throughout the year and at the competition. But when the transmission failed at the competition the team “changed gears” to run as an EV and programmed their vehicle to get as much functionality as possible. And as a result, they made it through safety tech and drove their vehicle in all of the dynamic events. In spite of everything, the team rallied together in the end and ended up with a Fourth Place finish as well as awards for Spirit of the Challenge and Sportsmanship!
Another story of triumph is a long-time veteran of our competitions, Ohio State. OSU took on what is almost certainly the most complex powertrain design in the EcoCAR fleet and possibly the most complex in the history of these competitions. They knew their challenges were extremely formidable and we admire OSU for putting learning first even if that meant they didn’t quite make it through all the dynamic events this year. Their stellar design and controls work throughout the year, still earned the team a Fifth Place finish!
GG: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Frank. It sounds like the safety/tech inspections are an intense, yet rewarding experience. We look forward to hearing from you again in Year Three of the EcoCAR Challenge!
Check out the slide show below for a compilation of photos from the Year Two safety/tech inspections:
We are thrilled to announced that all 16 EcoCARs have been approved to ship to Yuma! Thirteen of the vehicles are already on the way to the Desert Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona and the remaining three will be picked up today.
This weekend, the EcoCARs will undergo an initial safety and technical inspection before the teams arrive and the competition kicks off on Tuesday, May 18.
The EcoCAR Year Two Finals is only one week away and anticipation and excitement is high!
The Ohio State EcoCAR heading to Yuma!
At the end of April, the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) held an EcoCAR Educational Luncheon to showcase their hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (FC-PHEV). During the event, the team explained the engineering, ecological and social opportunities and challenges of the technology in their vehicle. While the car wasn’t yet running on its own power, the attendees were still eager to see some of the powertrain components in their respective places in the vehicle. All of the components from the front to rear of the vehicle were explained during a sort of adult ‘show-and-tell’ session for the crowd in attendance.
UWAFT team members presenting at the EcoCAR Educational Luncheon
The educational luncheon was also a great opportunity to reach out to influencers in the public, private and non-profit sectors. While there were many representatives from the three sectors in the audience, the event also featured speeches from Harold Albrecht, elected Member of Parliament for the Kitchener-Conestoga riding, Dr. Adel Sedra, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at University of Waterloo and Dan Mepham, the team’s General Motors mentor.
Quite the crowd at the event!
While the Georgia Tech EcoCAR engineers were working away in the garage, the team’s outreach students were braving the heat at the Georgia Tech 2010 Auto Show. At the event, the Georgia Tech team set up a booth next to General Motors (GM) and educated attendees about their participation in the EcoCAR competition. They explained the advancements being made to their GM-donated vehicle and what they are doing to promote green technology within the automotive industry.
The Georgia Tech team is excited to bring their EcoCAR to the auto show next year!
EcoCAR display at the Georgia Tech 2010 Auto Show
March is Women’s History Month and, without question, engineering is a field where women have made their mark. What was traditionally a male-dominated field in now full of professionals from all backgrounds and gender. This trend is visible in the EcoCAR competition – female participation has steadily grown since Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTC) started at the U.S. Department of Energy, one of EcoCAR’s headline sponsors, in the 1980s.
In an effort to recognize the outstanding contributions of women in the program and encourage others to pursue a career in engineering, the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation honors a woman or group of women every year with the Outstanding Women in Engineering Award. Not only must the winner show exceptional technical skills and leadership, but she should also contribute to recruiting and retaining female EcoCAR team members. Former Indy race car driver, Lyn St. James, will deliver this year’s award on May 25 in San Diego, California. EcoCAR teams, be sure to sign up to participate by April 30! For EcoCAR students interested in participating in the Women in Engineering Award, please access the details on the EcoCAR SharePoint site.
One of last year’s award recipients, Nicole Lambiase, says her passion for engineering sprouted from childhood influences, like watching shuttle launches at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, near her hometown. As a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University she became involved in the EcoCAR competition and her outstanding work as electrical team leader ultimately led her to a position today with Argonne National Laboratory. Watch Nicole’s story below!
Mentor Monday is dedicated to the many EcoCAR sponsors that provide valuable time and insight to the teams through mentoring. This week, we are featuring a mentor from dSPACE, a platinum EcoCAR sponsor providing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) support to 8 of the 17 EcoCAR teams – including The Ohio State University team which placed first in the HIL event at the Winter Workshop.
Shreyas Nagaraj is an applications engineer at dSPACE responsible for providing support and engineering services to engineers working on HIL simulation at General Motors. His interests include: test automation, plant modeling, vehicle dynamics, and developing new products that will assist engineers in testing and validating various electronic control units. Shreyas has been a mentor to The Ohio State University since the EcoCAR Challenge kick-off in 2008.
“EcoCAR has given me the opportunity to relive my college days. Working with students who are dealing with real world problems and coming up with new ideas to solve them is very exciting and rewarding. Great ideas are born through the EcoCAR program that could someday revolutionize the cars we drive. Serving as a mentor to such an innovative, creative and motivated team gives me great personal satisfaction and makes my job even more interesting.”
Shreyas Nagaraj talking to EcoCAR students at a training workshop at the dSPACE headquarters in Wixom, MI
The WVU EcoCAR Team at F1 Boston
F1 Champ Andrew Wiedrich
The West Virginia University EcoCAR Team kicked off the Year 2 Competition by chalking up their first victory as the F1 Race Champs! Andrew Wiedrich led his team to victory by placing first out of nine schools in the Track Two Challenge at the Formula One in Boston.
“I was extremely excited that I won. Starting in eighth place out of nine schools I had my work cut out for me, but somehow I was able to sneak through to the front of the race,” said Wiedrich.
He added, “After the race I was so pumped up on adrenaline that I was shaking!”
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This morning, at the Museum of Science in Boston, representative from The General Motors Company, Department of Energy, The MathWorks and A123Systems addressed a crowd of students and journalists, officially kicking off year two of the EcoCAR competition.
Today’s presenters included Connie Bezanson from DOE, Paul Smith from The MathWorks, Rob Mosher from A123Systems and Kent Helfrich from General Motors.
Here are some photos from the event:
The Teams Gather After Press Conference
Kent Helfrich from General Motors
