Universities Selected for Sustainable Mobility Challenge

WASHINGTON, DC, May 14, 2004 (ENS) - Engineering teams from 17 universities in the United States and Canada are each getting a compact SUV Chevrolet Equinox and $10,000 in seed money from General Motors. They will explore advanced technologies that will reduce the environmental impact of vehicles while maintaining utility and performance as part of new competition - CHALLENGE X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility.

Jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM) the challenge is to " increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions while maintaining the vehicle’s safety and performance," Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Wednesday.

CHALLENGE X is a three year competition that will acquaint students with the latest in automotive propulsion, fuels, materials and emissions-control technologies.

Using an approach modeled after GM’s Global Vehicle Development Process, teams will gain experience in real-world engineering practices which may lead to careers in the automotive industry.

The 17 teams are from: Michigan Technological University; Mississippi State University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; San Diego State University; Texas Tech University; University of Akron; University of California, Davis; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Dearborn; University of Tennessee; University of Texas at Austin; University of Tulsa; University of Waterloo (Canada); University of Wisconsin-Madison; Virginia Tech; and West Virginia University.

DOE, through its Argonne National Laboratory facility, will provide competition management, staffing, team evaluation, and technical and logistical support.

GM will supply each team with a compact SUV Chevrolet Equinox, $10,000 in seed money, technical mentoring, and additional production parts.

Other major funding, mentoring, and product donations will be provided by National Instruments, The Math Works and Natural Resources Canada.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation will provide expertise in emissions measurement, Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, and safety.

Other sponsors include the National Science Foundation, Delphi, Dana Corporation, Ballard Power Systems, the Renewable Fuels Associations, the Governors Ethanol Coalition and Ricardo.