Ethanol Vehicle Challenge, a Success for UNL Team

Published in the:

Volume 29, Issue 37, November 1, 1999

For the second consecutive year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln participated in the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge (EVC), a 14-school competition aimed to encourage innovation in ethanol (E85) vehicle technology. The EVC is also intended to collect data to define the state of ethanol vehicle technology and provide students with a valuable hands-on learning experience in a real-life interdisciplinary engineering project. The Ethanol Vehicle Challenge began back in 1998 when 14 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada were selected to participate based upon a carefully written proposal. The selected colleges and universities then received shipment of a 1997 Chevrolet Malibu sedan and a spare 3.1L-V6 engine for testing and development.

The schools were then given 6 months to convert their Chevrolet Malibus for E85 usage while maintaining vehicle performance, emissions control, fuel economy, and cold startability. A student group of 20 Mechanical Engineering majors worked together to design, engineer, and fabricate necessary components and systems for the conversion to E85 use. The 1998 EVC concluded in May 1998 with a trip to the General Motors Proving Ground for testing of the 14 vehicles. Immediately following the testing, the 14 schools participated in a road rally from Milford, Michigan to Washington, D.C. for the Clean Cities Conference.The 1999 EVC was based upon the same principles of the 1998 Challenge, but the vehicle platform was changed. The vehicle chosen for the 1999 EVC was the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado full-size 4x4 pickup with the 5.3L-V8 engine. Schools took delivery of the new pickups and engines in November of 1998 and were once again given 6 months to convert the vehicle to E85 usage.

The student team grew to 30 engineering students in 1999, which included members from the 1998 team as well as several new members. The 1999 competition concluded in May with another trip to the General Motors Proving Ground in Milford, MI, where the vehicles were tested in areas such as quarter-mile acceleration, hill climb/trailer towing, off road handling and maneuverability, cold startability, vehicle emissions, and fuel economy. After testing was complete, the 14 vehicles participated in a road rally through Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.

Over the course of the last two years, the UNL-EVC Team has taken home several awards for their efforts. The 1998 Team was awarded with the "Best Teamwork" award and received a second place award for vehicle appearance. In 1999, the UNL-EVC Team received the "Best Overall Ethanol Conversion" award, which was deemed the most prestigious competition award. The 1999 Team also received the "Most Innovative Component" award for the phase-change, vacuum insulated, catalytic converters that were developed by Marc Meyer and other members of the team and another second place award for vehicle appearance. UNL's Silverado was also kept for 6 weeks after the competition for further testing by General Motors and several automotive magazines. Car & Driver will even publish an article in an upcoming issue about the Silverados from UNL and Cedarville College, Ohio.