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Wednesday, 13 April, 2011 12:18 PM

SAE 2011 World Congress Marks the Official Launch to EcoCAR 2: Plugging into the Future

Collegiate Engineering Competition Set to Educate the Next Generation of Auto Engineers

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DETROIT -- Today at SAE 2011 World Congress in Detroit, David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), took the stage for the morning keynote address and, along with Karl Stracke from General Motors (GM), announced the official launch of EcoCAR 2: Plugging in to the Future . SAE World Congress served as the perfect venue to jump-start the new program because, like EcoCAR 2, the conference aims to equip today's engineers with the knowledge and training needed to continue the evolution of automotive propulsion technology and energy efficiency.

Established by the DOE and GM, EcoCAR 2 is a three-year collegiate engineering competition and the only program of its kind. The mission of EcoCAR 2 is to educate the next generation of automotive engineers through an unparalleled hands-on, real-world engineering experience. The competition challenges 16 North American universities to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles without compromising performance, safety and consumer acceptability. Combining new teams and veterans to Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions, the schools that have been chosen to participate in the EcoCAR 2 are as follows:

• California State University, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
• Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO)
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL)
• Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS)
• North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)
• The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
• Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA)
• Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, IN)
• University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada)
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
• University of Victoria (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
• University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
• University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
• Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA)
• Wayne State University (Detroit, MI)

"EcoCAR 2 provides valuable experience to promising young engineers throughout the U.S.," said David Sandalow, DOE Assistant Secretary for Policy & International Affairs. "We wish the EcoCAR 2 teams best of luck in the competition and look forward to watching them progress during the three-year program."

EcoCAR 2 requires students to explore a variety of powertrain architectures and follow a real-world engineering regimen modeled after GM's Global Vehicle Development Process (GVDP). EcoCAR 2 teams will utilize a Chevrolet Malibu, donated by General Motors, as the integration platform for their advanced vehicle design.

"Giving the students the Chevy Malibu for the next vehicle made perfect sense, as the industry and consumers are moving to smaller cars," said Karl Stracke, CEO of Opel/Vauxhall at GM. "Plus, the Malibu offers the students a flexible platform that will allow them to explore various advanced propulsion technologies and other fuel savings techniques. We're definitely eager to watch the EcoCAR teams gain unparalleled experience and knowledge that will be extremely valuable to any automotive company after the students graduate."

For more information about the student engineering program, the participating schools or the competition sponsors, please visit www.EcoCAR2.org or the Inside the Green Garage blog.

About EcoCAR 2

EcoCAR 2 is a three-year competition that builds on the 23-year history of DOE advanced vehicle technology competitions by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles that demonstrate cutting-edge automotive technologies.

General Motors provides production vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation, technical and logistical support.

Through this important partnership, EcoCAR 2 aims to inspire and educate the next generation of automotive engineers and accelerate the development and demonstration of technologies that are of interest to the DOE and the automotive industry.

Source: Argonne National Laboratory

SAE Franz F. Pischinger Powertrain Innovation Award Goes to Dr. John H. Johnson

Johnson recognized by FEV, Inc. sponsored award for breakthrough research in emissions reduction and reducing fuel consumption

DETROIT -- FEV, Inc., a leading developer of advanced powertrain and vehicle technologies, announced today that the third annual SAE Franz F. Pischinger Powertrain Innovation Award will be presented to Dr. John H. Johnson, presidential professor emeritus at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich. The award will be presented by Gary Rogers, President and CEO of FEV, Inc., at the annual SAE awards ceremony held in conjunction with the 2011 World Congress at Cobo Center in Detroit.

"I am honored that Dr. Johnson is being presented this award," said the award's namesake, Prof. Franz Pischinger. "His demonstrated leadership and dedication in the classroom, the research lab, and on the national stage exemplifies the spirit of this award."

Dr. Johnson is a pioneer in the area of diesel emissions, beginning in the 1970s when he helped establish measurement methods and procedures used to the first Federal smoke standard and in 1973 for the State of California gaseous emission standards for heavy duty on-highway vehicles. His research has involved determining how to measure and control diesel emissions using advanced methodologies to develop an advanced combustion system to meet stringent emission standards while reducing fuel consumption.

Johnson has participated in twelve different National Academy of Science committees that have evaluated various technologies to reduce fuel consumption. He is currently chair of a committee created to review phase two of the 21st Century Truck Partnership, with a mission to explore technological improvements in commercial and military vehicles.

Johnson earned his PhD. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and has worked for the US Army Tank Automotive Center and Navistar Truck and Engine (formerly International Harvester). He began his academic career in 1970 at MTU as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, eventually chairing the department. He now serves as Presidential Professor Emeritus, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Mechanics.

About the Award

The Franz F. Pischinger Powertrain Innovation Award was established in 2008 by FEV to recognize exceptional innovation and competence in powertrain design and development through the annual recognition of an engineer who has demonstrated outstanding innovation in the field. The nominee must be a degreed engineer, employed or retired, who holds or has applied for a patent(s).

About Prof. Pischinger

Prof. Franz Pischinger has devoted his entire career to furthering powertrain technology and the education of young engineers as they prepared for careers in engineering. He held leading positions in the powertrain industry for most of his 50-year career and, until 2003, was the President and CEO of FEV Motorentechnik GmbH, where he currently retains the title of Chairman of the Board. Prof. Pischinger has also been responsible for educating thousands of students into the field of powertrain engineering, while overseeing the activities of the Institute for Applied Thermodynamics at the Aachen Technical University from 1970 to 1997. Many of his former students now hold leading roles in the automotive and transportation industry worldwide.

Source: FEV, Inc.