EcoCAR Challenge

06/05/2026

Congratulations to EcoCAR’s 2026 graduates! 🎓

This year, 75 graduating students completed their EcoCAR journey. From tackling complex engineering challenges to achieving major competition milestones, their dedication, innovation, and perseverance have helped shape the success of the EcoCAR EV Challenge and left a lasting impact on the program.

We look forward to seeing the contributions you will make as the next generation of industry leaders.

06/03/2026

Technical expertise. Leadership. Confidence. Impact.

At the EcoCAR EV Challenge Year 4 Competition, the General Motors Women in STEM Award recognized students whose contributions are advancing automotive engineering while strengthening the teams and communities around them.

Meet General Motors Women in STEM Award recipients Aisha Chaudhry and Milenna Raposo from McMaster Engineering EcoCAR Challenge. Their impact extends beyond the vehicle, demonstrating how technical excellence, mentorship, and leadership can elevate entire teams and inspire the next generation of engineers.

Read their stories and learn how they are helping define the next generation of engineering excellence.

🔗 Read the full story: https://avtcseries.org/news-media/general-motors-celebrates-women-in-stem-during-the-ecocar-ev-challenge/

06/01/2026

Through a combined $16.9 million investment and more than 1,000 hours of in-person training, mentorship, and professional development, EcoCAR EV Challenge sponsors helped prepare students for careers in the automotive and tech industries while creating an unmatched hands-on learning experience.

Thank you to the organizations that helped make EcoCAR EV Challenge possible: DOE, GM, MathWorks, ANL, AAM, dSPACE, Magna, CARB, PACCAR, Bosch, NXP, AVL, DENSO, Siemens, TCCI, Dataspeed, Speedgoat, Infineon, Schaeffler, tesa tape, Amphenol, Judd Wire, OxTS, Altec, Vector, Consumer Reports, Cohda Wireless, and UICO.

The impact of your support will continue far beyond this competition and into the careers and innovations these students will help create for years to come.

05/29/2026

From Detroit to Ypsilanti, the EcoCAR EV Challenge Year 4 Competition marked the final chapter of a four-year journey redefining the future of advanced mobility. ⚡🚘

Teams completed rigorous vehicle evaluations at the General Motors Milford Proving Ground, demonstrating the performance, safety, and capability of their reengineered Cadillac LYRIQs. They then took their vehicles on-road, navigating real-world driving conditions on the journey to Hudson's Detroit, GM's global HQ.
Beyond the vehicle, students presented their engineering, project management, and communications accomplishments to industry judges and sponsors, demonstrating not only what they built, but how they brought it to life.

🎥 Watch this year’s recap video to see the moments, milestones, and memories that made the EcoCAR EV Challenge an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

05/27/2026

Driving the Future Forward: GM Leadership Connects with EcoCAR Students ⚡

At the EcoCAR EV Challenge Year 4 Competition, teams had the opportunity to connect with Sterling Anderson, Executive Vice President, Global Product and Chief Product Officer and Mike Anderson, Vice President, Global Battery and Propulsion Engineering from General Motors. Sterling and Mike met with students, explored team vehicles, and discussed the future of advanced mobility innovation.

As a driving force behind the progress in automated vehicle technologies, GM plays a critical role in shaping the future of mobility. That real-world perspective is what makes EcoCAR so impactful. We thank the leaders from GM for taking the time to connect and bridge the gap between the classroom and the industry. 🤝

05/26/2026

🏁 As the EcoCAR EV Challenge comes to a close, we celebrate the incredible achievements of the 1,600 students from 15 universities representing 51 majors who helped shape the future of advanced mobility over the past four years. ⚡🚘

🔹 19,000 miles driven by re-engineered LYRIQs
🔹 188 outreach events led by students
🔹 42,000 youth impacted
🔹 240 hours of dynamometer testing completed
🔹 1,061 hours of in-person training provided by 27 industry sponsors

From concept to competition-ready vehicles, teams transformed model-based designs into fully functioning machines through innovation, collaboration, and determination.

But beyond the numbers, we celebrate the late nights, the breakthroughs, the setbacks, the recovery plans, and even the broken half shafts. Because every challenge became part of the learning process and every obstacle pushed these teams forward.

To every student, faculty advisor, sponsor, mentor, volunteer, and organizer who made the EcoCAR EV Challenge possible: thank you for your passion, perseverance, and commitment to driving innovation forward. The future of mobility is brighter because of you.

05/22/2026

We have a champion! 🏆

We’re proud to announce that 🥇Georgia Tech EcoCar has won first place in the final year of the EcoCAR EV Challenge, scoring 867 points out of 1,000.
🥈 McMaster Engineering EcoCAR Challenge secured second with 740, and 🥉 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team at Virginia Tech followed in third with 714.

Managed by Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by DOE, General Motors, and MathWorks, the EcoCAR EV Challenge provided university students across North America with an ambitious challenge. They reengineered a Cadillac LYRIQ into a platform for next generation innovation. From advanced propulsion systems to connected and automated vehicle technologies, teams delivered solutions that balance advanced engineering with real world performance and consumer expectations.

The final competition pushed teams to prove their work in every setting, from rigorous testing at GM Milford Proving Ground to real-world driving through Detroit and high-stakes presentations to industry judges.

Congratulations to every team, student, faculty, mentor, and sponsor who made this program possible. The future of mobility is in excellent hands.

🔗Learn more: https://avtcseries.org/news-media/georgia-tech-wins-the-final-year-of-ecocar-challenge/

The EcoCAR EV Challenge brings together top university teams to design, build, and validate next-generation battery electric vehicles, integrating advanced propulsion, connectivity, and automated technologies in a real-world engineering environment.

Learn more at avtcseries.org.

05/21/2026

From the Milford Proving Grounds to the General Motors HQ at the Hudson Building, EcoCAR teams took their LYRIQs onto public roads for a 160+ mile Over-the-Road-Event. 🚗⚡

Designed to validate four years of engineering, integration, and testing, this event challenged teams to prove their vehicles could perform beyond the test track by navigating public roads, traffic, changing environments, and everyday driving scenarios.

The Over-the-Road Event marked a major milestone in the competition, showcasing the reliability, drivability, and advanced mobility technologies students have spent years developing and refining.

05/20/2026

The finish line is in sight! Be sure to join us live during the EcoCAR EV Challenge Awards Ceremony as we celebrate the final year of the series:

Join us for the EcoCAR EV Challenge Year 4 Awards Ceremony, where $100,000 in sponsor-provided prize money is up for grabs! We look forward to honoring our s...

05/20/2026

At the EcoCAR Consumer Ride & Drive event, judges stepped into the role of prospective consumers to evaluate how well each vehicle delivers a real-world driving experience.

Government and industry judges assessed everything from interior and exterior styling, cockpit layout, gauges and displays, and infotainment functionality, to Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) technologies and overall vehicle usability.

This event challenged teams to go beyond technical performance and focus on creating a vehicle experience that is intuitive, refined, and consumer-ready. 🚗⚡