Faculty Advisor: Marc Compere
Team Leader: Ken Leslie
Communications Manager: Baleigh Hyatt
Business Manager: Jeff Alvarado

Team Description
The team from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, calls itself the EcoEagles. This diverse, multidisciplinary team includes engineering, communications, and business majors, and it involves graduate and undergraduate students in mechanical, electrical, computer, and aerospace engineering to help design its EcoCAR 2 vehicle. The engineering students work closely with the outreach group, which is made up of business and communication students. The communications group focuses on youth education and on promoting community, influencer, and consumer awareness about clean energy initiatives and advanced vehicle technologies. The EcoEagles draw on their high standards of excellence and accumulated expertise in the aerospace industry to solve challenging real-world problems in advanced vehicle development. With strong support from the university, community, and students, the team is poised for success in the EcoCAR 2 competition.

Vehicle Design
For the EcoCAR 2 competition, the EcoEagles have designed a front-wheel-drive series plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The series PHEV will run on both grid electricity and B20 biodiesel fuel. The vehicle will be capable of being driven as an electric vehicle for more than 40 miles by utilizing AM-Racing, Remy electric motors and an A123 Systems lithium-ion battery pack. The EcoEagles are using a GM 1.7 L diesel engine and a Remy generator to sustain the battery. The small GM diesel engine was chosen because of its high efficiency and the low environmental impact associated with B20 biodiesel. The EcoEagles’ goals for their series PHEV are to minimize energy consumption, maintain a high level of consumer acceptability, and never compromise driver safety.