Team Updates

University of Maryland - May 2003

Students from the University of Maryland rolled out their re-engineered sport utility vehicle, appropriately named Excite, in College Park, Maryland earlier this week. The ethanol-fueled hybrid-electric SUV is the team's entry in next month's national FutureTruck competition. Sponsored by The U.S. Department of Energy and Ford Motor Company, FutureTruck challenges teams of students from 15 top North American universities to re-engineer a conventional, mid-size Ford Explorer into a lower-emissions vehicle with at least 25 percent higher fuel economy, without sacrificing performance, utility, safety or affordability.

Members of the 45-student Maryland FutureTruck team were on hand to demonstrate the results of thousands of hours of labor re-designing, re-engineering and re-building their Explorer. Also participating was the team's faculty adviser, David Holloway, automotive engineer, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the university's Center for Automotive Research. Maryland students have finished at the top over the past three competitions, including First Place in 2000 and Third Place in 2001.

Media attending the roll out event included WTOP radio, Motorweek, WJZ CBS (Baltimore 13) TV, ABC (Baltimore 2) TV, and local Prince George's County cable TV. For more information on the Maryland project see http://futurecar.umd.edu/.

University of Tennessee - January 2003

This month Team Tennessee logged countless hours preparing the truck for painting. The engine group also made great strides with engine testing and the hybrid coupling design. The team plans to have the complete powertrain mounted on the dynamometer with controls development underway before the end of the month.

University of Tennessee - November 2002

Team Tennessee has displayed their truck at several events over the past two months in an effort to build awareness for the program and attract local sponsors. The team's main objectives for the month of November is to finish testing the motor and have engine dynamometer testing well underway before the holidays.

Gary Holder and April Banner explain FutureTruck to a group of Tennessee alumni as part of Tennessee's homecoming events.

February-March 2002 Updates