The University of Alberta EcoCar team is a multidisciplinary vehicle project team which competes in the Shell Eco-marathon, an annual international fuel-efficiency competition. Our team develops and builds a zero emissions hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle  designed to be a realistic concept. It has functional lights, steering wheel, and many other features that you would expect in a modern car. The applications of engineering, design, finance, outreach, and administration, among many other interdisciplinary skills are required to construct a winning vehicle and maintain a strong team.

The University of Alberta EcoCar team was founded in 2010 with the goal to build and compete in the “Urban Concept” category at the Shell Eco-marathon. While the team had much to learn in the beginning, we hit the ground running: in 2012 we placed second at the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas competition and in 2014 we won first place! With a reputation of success, teamwork, and mentorship, the University of Alberta EcoCar team has attracted many new members; our team is larger and more ambitious than it has ever been before. It is very exciting to see so many newer members grow in skills, taking on more responsibilities and initiating new innovative projects.

Building a ground-breaking vehicle is quite costly! Since we design all of our components by ourselves and rarely purchase prefabricated systems, we have managed to not only cut down the costs but also increase the learning experience. Our team members have documented invaluable research into manufacturing techniques, composite materials, materials selection, electrical systems, and much more. But acquiring these high performance materials, fabricating our components and sustaining our team require time and resources. This year, we will race our new vehicle that has just completed construction.  We need your help to continue to develop innovative projects and technologies by further improving our current car. Your contribution will also play an integral role in the development of our next generation vehicle.

The following tables and graphs will show you an approximate breakdown of our costs; we feel how we spend our resources is important information to donors like you.

The major impact of this project will be providing experiential learning opportunities that enrich our education and provide us with opportunities to improve both our engineering skills and other professional skills  that are essential in the workforce.  It will also enable us to reach out to more students as well as to the public. The EcoCar vehicle project is the medium in which countless valuable experiences and lifelong friendships are gained for members of our team. Alberta is known for its fossil fuels and abundance of natural resources. However, with an increasing demand for energy, we at EcoCar believe in the need to develop alternative energy solutions for the future.

We need your help! Your contribution will help us continue to compete and represent the University of Alberta on the international stage, as well as promote and develop a more environmentally friendly future for automotive technologies. With more resources, we will be able to take on more innovative projects and increase public awareness.  Our team truly appreciates the donation you have made.  Stay tuned for more updates from technological showcases to team interviews and finally some on-the-ground information from our competition!

On behalf of the whole EcoCar team, we thank you for your contribution.