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CSULA EcoCAR 2 Team Makes Their Eco-Resolutions

February 21, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

Who says work can’t be fun? The California State University Los Angeles (CSULA) EcoCAR 2 team recently attended its first green event with great success. Matthew Kirkwood and Matthew VanAtta from the Outreach/Business team attended the 2012 Eco-Resolutions Party, and the energy was, please excuse the pun, electric!

Carl Cole (right), founder of yourecoteam.com, a yellow pages for green organizations and investors, discusses his company

The event was located in Santa Monica’s  “Green Light District,” part of a national group of business committed to sustainable business practices that has helped make Santa Monica a green hub for Southern California. Events such as the Eco-Resolutions Party are held monthly all over the world by local chapters of Green Drinks International, a networking organization that allows for anyone working in the environmental field or that is concerned about environmental issues to get together to network, develop new ideas and create partnerships.

The team’s goals for the event were to inform the green community about EcoCAR 2 and generate interest, identify and network with key players in the green community, meet potential sponsors and event organizers and become better informed about the green community in order to gain insights into techniques that successfully reach the general public.

Organizations involved in the raffle quickly promote their message before announcing the winner

The event was not only a fun and engaging night, but a networking success for CSULA EcoCAR 2 as well. The team mingled with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, including heavy hitters such as Ken Spector, V.P. of Living Eco, who is heavily involved in the green community and is a potential link to media exposure and celebrity endorsement, and Carl Cole, the founder of a green business networking site, yourecoteam.com, which has a network of over 2,000 green businesses. Contacts were also made with event planners and community organizers, as well as people from the petroleum, solar and energy efficient construction industries.

Everyone attending the event was generous with their passion, excitement and advice. The green community has many diverse events and CSULA’s team generated several new ideas for its own public education campaign (as well as several eco-resolutions) by attending this one.

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UW Gets a Little Design Help from A123

February 17, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

Engineering is a highly iterative process.  Sometimes new data causes an entire redesign, often for the better. University of Washington EcoCAR 2 team members have devised several iterations of a battery cooling system, but with A123 Systems’ help, they’ve finally hit the mark.

Four engineers are designing a system to cool the battery pack for UW’s proposed vehicle architecture. Batteries generate heat when in use, so cooling via air or fluid is necessary to avoid damage. The main issue is that the ambient air at the final competition in Yuma, AZ is going to be about 40 degrees Celsius, and the A123 Systems batteries shut down at 50 degrees Celsius.  After much brainstorming, the team’s initial thought was to run coolant through battery cooling plates and then through a radiator to dissipate the heat. They crunched thermodynamic data and learned that, in order to be effective in Yuma, the system would have to pump approximately 100 gallons/minute… which is completely unrealistic! UW needed to find an alternative.

After further deliberation, the team decided to use a thermodynamic refrigeration cycle. This system is similar to a refrigerator: Coolant is compressed to raise pressure through the radiator, heat is dissipated, and then the coolant is allowed to expand to add a magnitude of cooling. The system is a little more complicated and requires more power, but the UW thought they were headed in the right direction.

However, things changed yet again. At the Winter Workshop in Austin, A123 Systems representatives showed the team that cooling is not going to be as critical as they had thought. The batteries won’t heat up as much as predicted so UW had grossly over-engineered the cooling system. With A123’s input, the team re-redesigned a cooling system that integrates the coolant and radiator of the Chevy Malibu’s existing A/C system. This is a much simpler, smaller and more elegant solution than UW’s original design. The team thanks A123 Systems’ representatives for being so helpful in guiding them towards a much more feasible and realistic design!

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Decisions Decisions! MSU’s Year One Preparations

February 16, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

With the EcoCAR 2 competition well underway for Year one, the Mississippi State University EcoCAR 2 team has recently been shoulder deep in component and architecture research, literature reviews and training the ‘new hires’ on the various software programs they will be using for the next several years of the competition. Planning everything from an overall budget, to sponsorships roles and outreach endeavors are also an integral part of the current team undertakings.

Year one is all about carefully selecting a specific architecture as well as meticulously picking over which specific components will bring the team the best overall results. Many, many hours of modeling, calculating and designing go into this year but every decision the team makes during Year One will affect it throughout the rest of the competition.

Just what components will MSU use to implement its proposed design? Only time will tell, but there will be more information to come soon! In the meantime, make sure to keep up to date with the team’s progress and events by visiting its social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter as well as the brand new website!

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OSU at Winter Workshop and the Washington D.C. Auto Show

February 15, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

The Ohio State EcoCAR 2 team was invited to attend the Washington D.C. Auto Show recently for Public Policy Preview Day! While there, the team got to meet with media, policy makers, and General Motors executives. Even the president of General Motors North America, Mark Reuss, stopped by to talk with the team. He was very impressed by all the hard work EcoCAR 2 teams do and he is looking forward to seeing how the vehicles turn out at the end of the competition.

The 2nd place SUV designed by the OSU team from the EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge was on display next to HEVT (Virginia Tech’s team) and a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The team had a great time talking about the benefits of the EcoCAR 2 competition and would like to thank the D.C. Auto Show organizers for the invitation!

Soon after the Auto Show, the OSU team headed to Austin for EcoCAR 2’s Winter Workshop. On the first day of the workshop, the team set up its HIL (Hardware in the Loop) to make sure everything was running properly. The HIL, from dSpace Inc., is a very helpful tool that allows the team to simulate different scenarios on its vehicle. But the best part was that it only took an hour to set up! Afterwards, OSU joined the rest of the EcoCAR 2 competitors for a wonderful dinner at the Thurman Mansion. They had the chance to try Austin’s famous BBQ from Salt Lick, and it definitely lived up to its reputation!

Day two of Winter Workshop was also filled with activities. Both the Business and the HIL presentations were given in front of 12 judges. The OSU presenters’ hard work paid off and they did a great job. The Outreach team also visited a local middle school with some of the other schools. They taught middle school kids about EcoCAR 2, advanced vehicle technologies and the environmental effects of conventional vehicles.

The team had a great time in Austin thanks to all of the wonderful organizers and sponsors. Special thanks to Freescale for hosting the event at their facility!

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Commercializing Innovation with UWAFT

February 14, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

Recently, the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) participated in The Canadian Institute’s Forum on Commercializing Cleantech in Toronto, Ontario.  The Forum consisted of a series of panel discussions filled with a variety of distinguished industry and government representatives. The event began with a keynote address by Albert Behr, President of Behr and Associates Inc. – a consulting firm that specializes in the commercialization of ‘clean’ technology. Concluding the event was the Honourable Glen Murray, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation, who spoke about due diligence and the cleantech regulatory framework in Canada.

Outreach Coordinator Mark Goody

Team Captain Gurhari Singh and Outreach Coordinator Mark Goody represented UWAFT during the two day event. Unlike past events, which have been focused on campus and community outreach, the forum on Commercializing Cleantech was an industry-based conference. It provided UWAFT with significant learning and networking opportunities. It was also an ideal environment to speak with potential sponsors for UWAFT!

In addition to acquiring valuable business knowledge and industry contacts, Singh and Goody had the opportunity to promote the team and the EcoCAR 2 competition. Alternative fuel technology was a large part of the conference and it is clear that Canada’s industry and government are committed to building a more sustainable transportation future!

 

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First Semester Experiences From a Purdue Project Manager

February 13, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

Haley Moore Purdue’s EcoCAR 2 Project Manager, shares her experiences from first semester in the competition.

“The first semester of the EcoCAR 2 Challenge was fun and successful for the team. There was a lot of learning that went on at all levels. For me, the most challenging parts of the semester were keeping the team organized and leading the team while finishing the final semester of my undergraduate career. I was amazed at how many tasks were necessary to make the team successful. We had several meetings each week, sent out many emails and even met with people outside of the program.

I learned a great deal about becoming more organized, which will only help me as I continue with my studies and EcoCAR 2. I am fortunate to have a great Steering Committee and Faculty Committee that has helped the team become so successful. We will continue working hard this semester to achieve this year’s goal of completely simulating our car on computer software, which will make it easier to implement our architecture to the vehicle. I am looking forward to seeing what this semester has in store for the team!”

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A Winning Effort Begins with Preparation

February 8, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

The Mississippi State EcoCAR 2 mechanical team has been busy working on the design for the high voltage battery box that will house its A123 battery modules. The battery pack is one of the most important aspects of the vehicle and working with it can be one of the most daunting tasks because of the sheer number of hours it requires. Designing it is not a simple or easy task, but the EcoCAR 2 competition and MSU provided the team with all the software it needs. Not only will MSU do extensive CAD work and finite element analysis (FEA) on the pack (using Siemens NX), the team will also use computation fluid dynamics (CFD) to help design cooling components. There is a lot of work to be done, but more time spent now in the design phase will translate to less time spent building and working on the pack in the future.

We applaud MSU’s hard work and encourage the team to keep plugging away on its battery pack design! It looks like Year One has really gotten into full swing.

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An OSU Outreach Coordinator’s Fast Intro to EcoCAR

January 23, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

Sarah Jadwin (left) with her OSU teammates

By Sarah Jadwin, Ohio State University Outreach Coordinator

Let me just give you a little background about myself and my past experience with advanced vehicle technologies. Oh, wait…I had none.

When I first joined the EcoCAR team last year, I had no idea what I was getting into. At my first meeting with the team leaders, the only thing they were going to teach me was exactly how the car worked. I can honestly say that a minute after they started talking, I was completely lost. I remember being so overwhelmed by all the information, and they were only teaching me the basics!  While it was a huge challenge at first to understand the different engineering aspects behind the car, I eventually got it (and I’m still working on perfecting it).

After working with the team for about four or five months, it was easy to see the differences between the business team and the engineering team. Spending time around these differences and working through them first-hand made me realize something: We had to bridge the gap. My solution to this problem was an Engineering Sciences Minor. That’s right, the girl who knew nothing about cars and rarely took science classes, just declared an engineering minor!

This winter quarter, I started my first engineering classes. For me, it has truly been an eye-opener. I have thoroughly enjoyed looking at objects, situations and even our own EcoCAR vehicle, in a different way.  While this is a field that I know very little about, I am lucky that I can have a team of 40 engineers that will help me along the way!

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HEVT Attends 100th Anniversary of Hampton Roads Auto Show

January 20, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

To kick-off the New Year, the Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team of Virginia Tech (HEVT) participated in the 2012 Hampton Roads International Auto Show and helped celebrate the 100th year of the event.

Hosted by the Hampton Roads Automobile Dealers Association (HRADA), the show was held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in early January. HEVT was among the exhibitors featured in the front lobby display area. As a LEED Gold certified building, the convention center offered preferred parking for eco-friendly vehicles, which was something the team members thought was great!

“We consistently strive to make sure that our show is relevant to the consumer and our lobby display is a key component in our ability to show trends in the automotive industry,” said HRADA Events Producer and Show Director Peter Alexander. “I’ve been associated with the show for over twenty years now and there is a definite transition to lean and green.”

The auto show gave HEVT a chance to reach out to a new audience. “There were so many Virginia Tech alums who were proud to see Virginia Tech participating in an advanced vehicle technology competition such as EcoCAR 2,” said team leader Jon King. Many attendees had previous knowledge of HEVT and AVT competitions. Aside from Tech fans, attendees with general interest in sustainable vehicles also visited the HEVT table.

Lead Outreach Coordinator Rommelyn Conde spoke with an alumnus who recalled being introduced to electric vehicles in the 1970s. “While living in Blacksburg, he and his wife remember a local dealership on Main Street which sold ‘Elcars,’ a popular electric car produced by the Elcar Corporation,” Rommelyn said. “Comparing the ‘Elcar’ to the Chevy EcoCAR, he commented on how far technology has come.”

Sarah Kilbourne, an outreach coordinator for HEVT, took the opportunity to participate in GM’s Ride and Drive booth. She had the choice of test-driving a Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicle. “I drove the Volt and found it amazingly smooth,” said Sarah. “There was a constant line to drive the Volt since it was in such high demand.” That comes as no surprise, since the Volt was just voted the “Most Earth-Friendly” vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show!

Peter Alexander added, “HEVT’s interaction with the public and ability to provide information and education about how the industry is evolving provides relevance for the show and helps us to keep the consumers coming back year after year.”

HEVT certainly enjoyed being a part of the 100th anniversary of the Hampton Roads International Auto Show. The team extends its thanks to the event organizers and HRADA for a great weekend!

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New Sponsor FleetCarma Helps Design UWAFT’s Powertrain

January 13, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

When the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) began to select its powertrain for EcoCAR2, they turned to FleetCarma to develop a data-driven selection process. FleetCarma, EcoCAR 2′s newest Silver Sponsor, offers tools designed to help fleet managers select the right vehicle for any fleet application.  They work with fleet managers to analyze the cost effectiveness of potential replacement vehicles over their entire service lives.

Fleet managers who want to go green understand that they need to consider the Total Cost of Ownership to make decisions regarding vehicle purchases. For example, they weigh the higher initial cost of an electric vehicle (EV) versus its operational savings down the road.  They also want to know whether an EV will be capable of doing the job with enough range and charge capabilities.

The FleetCarma system is a unique way to determine the right vehicle for a job because it uses a simple-to-install OBD data logger to capture duty cycle and operational needs. That usage pattern is then fed to FleetCarma’s backend system, where it is run through a number of simulations depending on which vehicles are being considered for purchase. The results include the vehicle’s real-world fuel consumption and provide detailed analysis of potential replacement vehicles. In a nutshell, the system determines whether any electric vehicle will (a) do the job that is required and (b) offer worthwhile cost saving and emission reduction benefits.

FleetCarma’s head office is located in Waterloo, Ontario and the company employs several UWAFT alumni. UWAFT maintains an active relationship with the company, so the team was excited to use FleetCarma’s system to help select and test powertrain configurations and components for its EcoCAR 2 vehicle. UWAFT deployed FleetCarma’s data loggers on various vehicles to capture real-world drive cycles. These cycles were then reviewed for statistics such as daily driving distance, duration and driver aggressiveness. In total over 171,000 km of driving distance was captured, which resulted in 4,900 hours’ worth of driving data. These cycles were also fed into more than 20 vehicle models, where the projected real-world fuel consumption was measured and compared. For UWAFT, this helped design a vehicle that would achieve the best possible real-world fuel consumption and energy and emissions reductions

Stay tuned as UWAFT and the rest of the EcoCAR 2 teams announce their chosen vehicle architectures during the Winter Workshop in just three weeks!

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