On May 17, 2010, 16 schools across North America tested vehicles on the General Motors Desert Proving Grounds at Yuma, AZ. During the past two years, each school has designed and built a powertrain of the future (fuel cell, hybrid electric, 100% electric) into each of their GM donated vehicles as part of EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge. As part of the challenge for Year 2, the student teams only had 6 months from the time when the GM donated vehicle was delivered to the time of competition at Yuma, AZ to install their Year 1 designed powertrain. Not every team was able to bring a 100% functioning vehicle to competition. When NC State arrived on May 17, we had just started to make the electric motor drive the vehicle with full power, the diesel engine-generator had never been ran before, and controls strategies still needed to be programed for the engine-generator.

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News 14 attended the showing of the teams progress on the EcoCar competition.

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This past Saturday, NC State EcoCar team members shared a booth with the Clean Cities Coalition in Raleigh at the Downtown Raleigh Planet Earth Celebration. It was an excellent opportunity to share with the public information on projects that students are participating in to promote alternative transportation and sustainable technologies. Many people asked questions regarding the team’s vehicle and about the move to alternative transportation. At our booth were vehicle displays which included the NC Solar Center’s Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV), a vehicle that runs off compressed natural gas, as well as an electric hybrid vehicle. The weather was great and allowed for numerous visitors to learn of what is being done to promote the “Green Movement”

EcoCar team members participated in Green Hope High School’s career fair. Seniors and juniors had the chance to discuss with NC State students the extensive job skills and opportunities available through participating in sponsored projects, alternative transportation, and college in general. Plenty of students provided their own experiences in working with sustainable technologies, how they feel they can benefit from them, and what their college interests are. Other displays present were SAS, Wake Tech Community College, Environmental Protection Agency, and numerous others. Many teachers also had the opportunity to see what students at NC State are doing to educate others on alternative transportation technologies as well as accompanying career opportunities.

Last week, the NC State EcoCar team was afforded the opportunity to help and educate students learning about sustainable technologies and alternative transportation. All week students designed and built solar powered vehicles using provided components and supplies. About 15 students from fourth and fifth grades teamed up with EcoCar members to gain knowledge on how PV Panels functions and how electric vehicles operate. After designing their vehicles, they were taken outside where they were allowed to race and run their vehicles. Afterward, they were asked to go through a redesign phase. Once their cars were redesigned, they participated in a final race. This was an excellent opportunity for not only the students to learn how energy can be converted from the sun to movement of their vehicle, but also for EcoCar team members to transfer unique knowledge to interested students.

The plug-in component of the NC State EcoCar has arrived and the team is working hard on integrating all other components into the vehicle. Having plug-in capability will enable the vehicle to charge on the grid. As competition closes in, team members are moving as efficiently as possible to transform the GM Donated Vehicle to a working product.

Do not forget to visit the Green Garage Blog for more information regarding stories from all teams participating in the EcoCar Challenge.

Another great source of information for EcoCar and Clean Cities initiative visit Clean Cities

Our clean diesel engine recently arrived from GM in a quite large box. The team not only received the engine but also numerous components required. The engine is a 1.3L Bio-diesel engine which will be connected to a permanent magnet generator which will charge the battery. The team has the challenging opportunity to assemble the engine as they transfer vehicle. Stay posted for pictures of the process.

Its day three of the EcoCAR Challenge 2010 winter workshop in Daytona Beach, FL. Day two went well at the HIL presentation. We went to the Daytona 500 Experience and had a great time at the sponsor social hosted by Argonne National Laboratory.

The winter workshop is providing an opportunity for the team to prepare for the upcoming semester. Technical sessions and training are being provided for us to ensure that all team’s vehicles will pass inspection in March and be properly prepped for the upcoming year two competition finals this summer in Yuma, AZ.

NCSU would like to thank Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) for hosting such an awesome trip down south in Florida (better than the super cold at home). Its gorgeous out here.

The NC State team has worked strenuously throughout the semester to transform our GM Donated vehicle to an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV). So far the team has, emoved majority of the interior of the vehicle as well as its original engine and transmission. The lithium ion batteries recently arrived from A123 Systems, so thanks to their sponsorship of to our project, the team can now continue forward in the transformation process. Below are a few images of the vehicle being converted.

Vehicle on lift

Original vehicle engine/transmission before removal

Looking up after removing original powertrain, there were so many wires!

Original vehicle engine/transmission removed successfully