Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly known as Virginia Tech and by the initialisms VT and VPI, is a public, land-grant, research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six regions statewide and a study-abroad site in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. Through its Corps of Cadets ROTC program, Virginia Tech is also designated as one of six senior military colleges in the United States.
Challenge X
The year two competition was hosted at the GM Desert Proving Grounds in Mesa, Arizona. Top honors in the year two competition went to the first place team Virginia Tech from Blacksburg, Virginia (Gurski). Virginia Tech’s competition entry, the REV (Renewable Energy Vehicle, the Larsen Special Edition) is a split parallel hybrid using a Ballard Ranger 67 kW ACI rear traction motor, an 8 kW MES belted alternator starter, and a Saab 2.0 LFlex Fuel SI engine running on E85 – an ethanol/gas blend. Virginia Tech also won first place in lowest well-to-wheels petroleum energy usage, with an overall reduction of petroleum consumption of 74 percent over the stock vehicle, best written technical reports, lowest regulated tailpipe emissions, and lowest time braking and handling (Challenge X b). Second place was awarded to the University of Wisconsin–Madison Hybrid Vehicle Team from Madison, Wisconsin (Challenge X b) with their Moovada, a through-the-road parallel biodiesel electric running with the 1.9 L Fiat 110-kilowatt CIDI engine (Challenge X c). Mississippi State University from Starkville, Mississippi came in third place overall (Challenge X b) also with a through-the-road parallel biodiesel electric running with the 1.9 L Fiat 110 kW CIDI engine, and a Ballard Ranger 67 kW ACI rear traction motor (Challenge X c). Fourth place went to Ohio State University (Challenge X b).