The EcoCAR EV Challenge is a four-year collegiate competition where teams design and build next-generation battery electric vehicles, showcasing cutting-edge propulsion systems and connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), General Motors, and MathWorks, and managed by Argonne National Laboratory, the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge (EMC) brings together 15 top universities across North America to reimagine the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ. Each team, including our Mountaineers, is challenged to develop energy-efficient, customer-centric automated driving features using a combination of onboard sensors and bidirectional vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity.
But EcoCAR is more than a technical challenge. Teams are also tasked with improving vehicle accessibility, addressing key issues related to mobility and disability inclusion — ensuring that the technologies they develop serve all members of society. In addition, students take on outreach efforts, hosting and participating in youth events designed to spark interest in STEM fields and encourage the next generation of engineers and innovators.
The competition is structured around several specialized subteams, each focused on a critical area:
Together, these teams embody the spirit of EcoCAR: pushing the limits of what’s possible in advanced vehicle design while making a positive impact on communities and the environment.
Launched in Fall 2022, the competition will culminate in Spring 2026. Each year, students, faculty, sponsors, and organizers gather for a multi-stage annual competition.
Stage 1 takes place in Yuma, Arizona, at General Motors’ Desert Proving Ground, where teams put their vehicles through rigorous technical inspections to evaluate safety, performance, and integration quality.
Stage 2 moves to San Diego, California, where teams deliver detailed presentations to sponsors and judges, showcasing their progress and achievements.
By combining real-world challenges, cutting-edge technology, and student talent, the EcoCAR EV Challenge is not just shaping the future of automotive engineering — it’s shaping the future of sustainable, inclusive transportation.
West Virginia University (WVU) is proud to be one of only 15 universities across North America selected to compete in the prestigious four-year EcoCAR Mobility Challenge — a competition that brings together the work and passion of over 1,000 students dedicated to shaping the future of sustainable, intelligent mobility.
In Year 2 of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge, which concluded in Spring 2024, WVU’s team celebrated remarkable achievements. Our engineers earned first place in the Stakeholder Identification and Track Selection Report and second place in the General Motors Women in STEM Presentation.
The WVU EcoCAR team is made up of 60–80 undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students representing a range of disciplines from the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, Reed College of Media, and the Eberly College of Arts & Sciences School of Social Work.
As part of the competition, EcoCAR teams are challenged not only to innovate in the lab but also to inspire in the community. Each team hosts and participates in youth outreach events designed to educate students about STEM and STEM-related fields. Through interactive presentations, hands-on activities, and opportunities to explore the latest vehicle technologies, teams help spark curiosity and excitement in the next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators.
In March of 2025 the team welcomed Suncrest 5th graders to the WVU EcoCAR lab for a behind-the-scenes garage tour! Students even had the chance to design their own car wraps, and complete the human battery experiment.
Our Mountaineers paid a visit to Suncrest Middle School’s Career Fair, where they shared what it’s like to be an engineering student and the incredible career opportunities that come from working with EcoCAR.
While the 2023 LYRIQ continues to get competition-ready in the garage, our team showcased our previous competition vehicle, the Blazer, to prospective mountaineers and Stem ethicists at a local middle school robotics competition.
Methanol Marathon (1988-1990)
Natural Gas Vehicle Challenge (1990-1993)
Photo by: AVTC Series
HEV Challenge (1992-1995)
Photo by: AVTC Series
FutureCar (1995-1999)
Photo by: AVTC Series
FutureTruck (1999-2004)
Challenge X (2004-2008)
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge (2008-2011)
EcoCAR 3 (2014-2018)