Ohio State Wins Year One of Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition
In August, 2014, students began working on the design of their Camaro in preparation for competition. The team used modeling, simulation and design tools from industry in order to complete year one goals like vehicle architecture selection and the initialization of critical vehicle controls software. Extensive consumer market research was conducted in Central Ohio to guide vehicle design and the team was heavily involved in outreach efforts. The team is prepared to begin implementing the design work done in year one to the Camaro in year two.
Last year, Ohio State EcoCAR won year three of EcoCAR 2, a three year competition to create a more efficient Chevrolet Malibu. “We are a team that sets high expectations for ourselves. After a win in year three of EcoCAR 2, the team was determined to start EcoCAR 3 with the same level of focus and drive,” says mechanical team leader Tom Brown. “It is a great honor to lift the trophy again.”
The team spent five days giving technical presentations on the redesign plans for the vehicle’s mechanical and electrical systems, as well as comprehensive presentations covering project management and outreach. Another highlight was showcasing the team with an in-depth trade show display. In addition to competing, the team interacted with competition sponsors at various events across Seattle.
Ohio State entered the final week of competitions with an 8 point lead over Virginia Tech based on deliverables due throughout the year. By the time the final scores were tallied, Ohio State had opened up a 42 point lead over second place Virginia Tech, obtaining 937 of 1000 competition points. The team placed in the top 5 for 27 of 31 scored events, including 6 first place and 3 second place finishes. The team took 1st in a dSPACE sponsored award and 3rd in a MathWorks sponsored award as well.
Top six teams:
The Ohio State University– 937
Virginia Tech – 895
University of Waterloo – 847
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – 824
Pennsylvania State University– 772
McMaster University - 767
The first place win earns the team a trophy and $10,000 to be used for the continued development of the Ohio State EcoCAR Camaro. Additional prize money was earned through top three finishes in the awards categories.
Under the leadership of Professor Shawn Midlam-Mohler, the team is already working on year two, in which they will begin integrating the work of year one into the new Camaro. The team will return from Seattle over the weekend.
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About EcoCAR 3
The U.S. Department of Energy has sponsored Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions since 1988. Argonne National Laboratory oversees the competitions with the goal of bringing together leaders in the American automobile industry and the students that will shape the future identity of the industry. Undergraduate freshmen through Ph.D. candidates are given the opportunity for hands on experience re-engineering a consumer vehicle while investigating technologies that interest government and industry leaders. Since conception, over 16,500 students have participated in Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions nationwide.
EcoCAR 3 is the latest competition sponsored by the U.S. DOE. 16 North American Universities are being tasked with re-engineering a Chevrolet Camaro, provided by General Motors, into a hybrid-electric vehicle that runs off of alternative fuels. Teams must solve complex engineering challenges and apply new technologies to create a Camaro that has lower emissions and higher fuel economy. Students have four years to accomplish efficiency goals while maintaining the high performance levels that this automotive icon embodies. To learn more about the EcoCAR 3 competition, please visit ecocar3.org.
About The Ohio State University EcoCAR Team
The Ohio State University EcoCAR team is one of sixteen teams competing in the EcoCAR 3 advanced vehicle technology competition. The team is made up of around 40 students, ranging from undergraduate freshmen to Ph.D. candidates. Students on the team have a diverse variety of majors, from mechanical and electrical engineering to business and public relations.
To learn more about OSU’s team, please visit ecocar.osu.edu, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @OSUEcoCAR, and like Ohio State University EcoCAR 3 on Facebook.
