Colorado School of Mines is one of 20 universities in the U.S. and Canada selected to compete in the EcoCAR Innovation Challenge by the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory.
The EcoCAR Innovation Challenge is the 15th installment of DOE’s Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTC) series, which challenges university students to design and build intelligent mobility solutions and innovative products using emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence for engineering tools, machine learning and exascale computing.
Sponsored by two industry leaders, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis, along with along with technology partner MathWorks. participating teams will explore modifications to the vehicle propulsion system to optimize efficiency through the design and integration of electric motor systems and team-built, high-voltage batteries.
GM and Stellantis will each sponsor one of the two competition tracks, which provide distinct engineering challenges and vehicle platforms that reflect the choices available to North American customers.
Mines will compete in the Stellantis track and receive a 2026 Jeep Cherokee hybrid to modify and engineer. GM track teams will receive a 2026 Chevy Blazer electric vehicle. The four-year challenge kicks off in Fall 2026 and runs through Spring 2030.
The EcoCAR Challenge marks the second time that Mines has been chosen to compete in an AVTC program – Mines students are currently wrapping up the final year of the three-year Battery Workforce Challenge, in which they teamed up with automotive tech students at Arapahoe Community College to design, build, test and integrate an advanced EV battery into Stellantis’ Ram ProMaster van. The final competition in that challenge is set for later this month in Detroit.
“I’m excited to build on the strong foundation that Battery Workforce Challenge established at Mines and use EcoCAR to create more meaningful, real-world engineering opportunities for our students," said team advisor Polina Brodsky, teaching associate professor of mechanical engineering. “The program gives them the platform to tackle real automotive engineering challenges and develop the kind of leadership and industry exposure that will launch the next steps in their careers.”
Other universities competing in the Stellantis track include California State University, Los Angeles; Louisiana State University; The Ohio State University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Texas A&M University; University at Buffalo; University of North Carolina at Charlotte; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and University of Waterloo (Ontario).
Additional EcoCAR Innovation Challenge sponsors include Caterpillar, Siemens Digital Industries Software, dSPACE, Bosch, Altec, Hesse, and Volta Foundation.
About Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.
