The University of Alabama’s EcoCAR team is working on an ambitious project that blends engineering with sustainability. The project offers students a chance to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.
As part of the EcoCAR Challenge, the team is re-engineering a 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ, a fully electric vehicle, to refine its performance. The EcoCAR Challenge is an industry-sponsored program that allows students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world problem solving. Over four years, the teams modify the car to improve its performance, energy efficiency and safety.
Christian Darr, a UA computer engineering alumnus and current MBA student, is the project manager for the EcoCAR team. He oversees the team’s day-to-day operations and emphasizes the real-world experience the team provides its members.
“The work we do here is something you would do in the industry,” Darr said. “We focus on workforce development, so the skills our students gain are directly aligned with what engineers use in real-world settings.”
The EcoCAR team’s task is more than just fixing up a car. They are dismantling and re-engineering a high-performance electric vehicle to make it more efficient. Their work is multifaceted, touching on mechanical, computer science, aerospace and even business components. Regardless of their academic backgrounds, team members gain valuable engineering and business process insights.
It’s an interdisciplinary team that brings people from diverse backgrounds together.
“We have students from many different majors working together,” Darr said. “The EcoCAR team is a great example of how interdisciplinary collaboration works in real-world projects.”
The team is currently preparing for the year-end competition. The event culminates in presentations summarizing each team’s work, and students will test the car’s efficiency, long-distance drive capability, and autonomous features.
“We are currently in year three of the challenge, and we are focused on testing the vehicle’s acceleration and refining its features to prepare for the competition,” Darr said. “We are testing everything from performance to autonomy to ensure we’re ready for the year-end competition.”
Lisé Badeaux, a junior majoring in public relations and communications studies, serves as the EcoCAR communications manager. Despite not having an engineering background, Badeaux was drawn to the opportunity and eager to use her passion for sustainability to contribute to the project.
“I didn’t know much about vehicles before joining the team, but I’ve learned so much,” she said. “It’s an interdisciplinary team that brings people from diverse backgrounds together.”
The team’s focus extends beyond engineering into software development, controls, communications and mobility for people with disabilities. For example, the communications team works alongside the propulsion controls and system integration teams, ensuring the vehicle’s development is accurately documented and shared. At the same time, teams responsible for propulsion, software and safety work diligently to ensure the vehicle’s systems operate smoothly and meet competition standards.
Badeaux said that working on the communications side of the team has allowed her to build skills she never anticipated.
“It’s been an eye-opening experience to learn how the car works and to help communicate the importance of this project. It’s something few campus organizations offer — where business and communications students get to work directly with engineers and other technical professionals,” she said.
Darr, who joined the EcoCAR team without prior experience in car engineering or coding, reflects on his growth through the project.
“EcoCAR has taught me so much beyond what I would have learned in a classroom,” he said. “I’ve developed leadership, technical skills and connections that I’ll carry into my career.”
Both Darr and Badeaux agree that the EcoCAR team provides valuable experience not only for engineering students but also for anyone interested in sustainability, business or communications. It’s a unique opportunity to learn, collaborate and contribute to an important real-world challenge.