Teaching the Next Generation Youth outreach is very important to the PSU AVT. For many years, the team has educated students of all ages across central Pennsylvania.
Teaching the Next Generation
Sponsor Appreciation The PSU AVT would like to thank all local and national sponsors for contributing to the student success of building a hybrid vehicle.
Sponsor Appreciation
Converting a Stock to a Hybrid The team will convert a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu into a fuel efficient and consumer friendly vehicle over three years.
Converting a Stock to a Hybrid
Students Working Toward a Greener Future The PSU AVT is currently in Year One of EcoCAR 2, an advanced vehicle technology competition sponsored by GM and the U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Students Working Toward a Greener Future

Watch our Sponsor Collaboration Video about Freescale

EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future

EcoCAR 2: Plugging In To the Future is a multi-collegiate competition sponsored by GM and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and organized by Argonne National Laboratory. It is a joint venture between government, industry, and academia with 15 teams from North America competing in this challenge. The goal is to design and build a working hybrid vehicle applying GM’s standard engineering design methods and procedures.

The objective is to construct vehicles employing innovative technology which reduce greenhouse emissions, have better efficiency, and reduce overall petroleum consumption from well-to-wheels when compared to the stock vehicle-while maintaining consumer acceptability and usability. Teams will be responsible for designing and integrating the hardware and software necessary to make the vehicle run.

Technical Goals of EcoCAR 2

In comparison to production gasoline vehicles, teams will construct and demonstrate vehicles and powertrains that:

  • Reduce fuel consumption
  • Reduce well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions
  • Reduce criteria tailpipe emissions
  • Maintain consumer acceptability in the areas of performance, utility, and safety

The competition takes place over three years from 2011 to 2014. Competition requirements and deadlines are scored throughout each academic year with a final competition taking place in the summer of each year.

  • First Year Modeling and Simulation
  • Second Year Integration of components into the vehicle and build a “mule” vehicle
  • Third Year Completion of the vehicle and creating a 99% Buyoff vehicle that meets current consumer acceptability expectations.

Year One:

The Penn State EcoCAR 2 team is currently working on the Year One competition goals. Currently, the team is using modeling software to develop an architecture which will be used throughout the entire competition. To catch up on the latest Penn State EcoCAR 2 vehicle progress, check the Year One Vehicle section of the website.

To read about other teams, visit the EcoCAR 2 Teams, visit the official EcoCAR 2 website, or check out the EcoCAR 2 blog called Green Garage Blog.

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