The U.S. Department of Energy, through Argonne National Laboratory, provides overall competition management, team evaluation, and technical and logistical support for EcoCAR, the premier DOE-sponsored student vehicle competition. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched its student vehicle competition program in 1988 to demonstrate and test technologies developed in laboratories. By combining the next generation of technical innovators with emerging advanced transportation technologies, the EcoCAR competition helps ensure a sustainable, environmentally responsible transportation future. DOE and its network of national laboratories maintain an aggressive research and development program in advanced vehicle technologies, including fuel cells, energy storage, hybrid systems, advanced materials, alternative fuels, and heat engines.
DOE continues to develop new technology to improve vehicle efficiency and lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Through the student vehicle competition program, over 30,000 students have received hands-on engineering experience and many of them have moved on to take jobs in the automotive industry, bringing with them an enthusiasm for advanced vehicle technologies. For more information, visit https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/vehicle-technologies-office.
