UOIT EcoCAR

Welcome to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's (UOIT) EcoCAR website. UOIT is one of 16 North American schools participating in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge. The three year competition, developed by General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Argonne National Laboratory, challenges students to reduce the environmental impact by redesigning a GM-donated vehicle to be more energy efficient.

Participating teams are asked to minimize vehicle emissions and fuel consumption while maintaining the vehicle's performance, safety and consumer appeal. Students use real-world engineering processes to design and integrate their solutions into the vehicle. UOIT is the only school in the competition that has implemented a full function electric vehicle architecture. What makes the UOIT team uniquely qualified to do this? UOIT owns Canada's largest electric vehicle fleet, which includes electric buses, electric pick-up trucks, electric bicycles, even a hydrogen hybrid electric wheel chair!

EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge provides engineering students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge to a practical project. The competition exposes students to real-world software applications and vehicle design processes, in effect training them for their careers in engineering. The UOIT EcoCAR team is comprised of students from a variety of programs, and is advised by Dr. Greg Rograuer, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge is now in its third and final year! Check back often to keep up to date on our progress.

Year 3 Goals

• Fit and wire two new battery boxes - one in the underside of the car and one under the hood

• Fit new cooling system into the new battery boxes

• Program and install dashboard controls screen

• Successfully execute an EcoCAR event with local automotive organization

• Invite a prominent Canadian parliamentary member or Senator to see our vehicle and learn more about electric vehicle technologies