The objective of the 1998 Ethanol Vehicle Challenge was to convert a stock Chevrolet Malibu sedan from gasoline to fuel ethanol (E85) power. The vehicle would have improved fuel economy, low exhaust emissions, and excellent cold starting, without sacrificing drivability and performance. Fourteen schools received award-winning 1997 Chevrolet Malibu sedans powered by 3.1L V-6 gasoline engines, provided by General Motors Corporation. More than 200 students participated in the competition.
The competition started with five days of testing at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. Vehicles were scored on exhaust emissions, fuel economy, acceleration, drivability, handling, range, and cold- and hot-starting performance. Most competition vehicles exceeded the fuel efficiency and achieved emissions equal to or less than those of a stock Malibu, without sacrificing vehicle performance. These results give evidence that clean-burning, domestically produced, renewable fuels, such as ethanol, can be an environmentally friendly, high-performance fuel option for tomorrow's automobiles.
After the testing, the teams embarked on a two-day, 600-mile caravan ending with a ceremony at U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Along the way, the cars stopped at events in Ohio and Maryland to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles and awaken public interest in this developing technology.
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1998 Ethanol Vehicle Challenge |