University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT), a mechanical and mechatronics-focused team, has been selected from among 20 universities across North America and is one of two Canadian universities competing in the EcoCAR Innovation Challenge on the Stellantis track, running from 2026 to 2030.
The innovation challenge is managed by Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by EcoCAR, the United States Department of Energy (DOE), General Motors, Stellantis, and MathWorks.
UWAFT will focus on reimagining a Jeep Cherokee’s propulsion system, developing improved battery solutions, and integrating advanced software tools to balance off-road efficiency, capability, autonomy, and mobility.
"The hands-on experiential learning provided by EcoCAR is simply unmatched,” said Dr. Roydon Fraser, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor and UWAFT faculty advisor. “Using state-of-the-art technology, coupled with a high level of industry mentoring, hundreds of both graduate and undergraduate students will be trained to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, whether or not they go into the automotive industry.”
To be competitive, the Canadian teams are seeking financial support through sponsorships and donations, as Canadian schools will not receive the same level of support that U.S. teams do. If interested, please consider donating to the UWAFT team on the UWaterloo Alumni and Donor portal.
Learn more about the team and the competition in Student design team to redesign Jeep Cherokee hybrid in international competition in Engineering News.