Center for Center for Advanced Advanced Vehicle Vehicle TechnologiesTechnologies

Origin of the CAVT

• UA’s CAVT was established in fall 1998 through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)

• The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Alabama Department of Transportation provide funding to UA for advanced vehicle research

• Current DOT funding is $800K/yr less “tax”

Vision of the CAVTPromote the development of efficient,

safe, secure, economical, durable, comfortable, user-friendly and

environmentally-conscious vehicles for meeting the transportation needs of

America through discovery, research and education.

CAVT Goals

• Develop a new generation of innovative vehicles

• Conceive and apply computer-based tools

• Discover new knowledge through research and development

• Educate engineering and science professionals for the vehicle industry

CAVT Achievements• CAVT is now in its 5th year.• CAVT sponsored 24 studies in first four years; 12 are

currently underway• To date, 74 fractional FTE faculty-years, 10 post-doc-

years, 58 GRA-years, 10 speakers, and many undergraduates funded

• Projects in all departments in the College of Engineering and the Dept. of Chemistry in Arts & Sciences

• Estimated $2.3 million in research funding provided from CAVT/DOT, plus $1.4 million UA and other cost share

• Spin-offs and initiation: over $5 million• For each DOT dollar spent, $2 is added from UA,

partner, spin-off and research initiation

Future Activities• CAVT reauthorization funds for next 5-6

years will be requested in 2003 (?) from Federal Transit Authority rather than from FHA, the current funding source

• Request is aimed primarily at fuel cells and hybrid-electric vehicles

Future Technical Thrusts

• Fuel cells• NVH and controls• Materials and

manufacturing processes for vehicles

• Hybrid electrics (IC engine + electric motor)

Award winning Ballard/UA/ Freightliner APU project

Partnering & Research Initiation• Alabama and SE region offer

good opportunities for fuel cell and hybrid electric research- CAVT will go find them!

• Note that Mercedes and Hyundai both build fuel cell & hybrid electric vehicles, and make buses.

Mercedes M-Class, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda Odyssey- made in Alabama!

Leveraging• Major CAVT proposals require partnering• Leveraging with partners adds about 30% to

the value of CAVT funded research• Partners have included major companies,

e.g.

and government agencies– strong relation-ship is developing with Argonne National Lab

UA Fuel Cells Research • The University of Alabama has

made tremendous strides in fuel cells research over the past 5 years

• Fuel cell research began with seed funding from the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies

• Funding levels exceed $1M/yr on our campus, and involve 14 faculty in 4 departments

UA Hybrid Vehicles Research

Strong foundation for hybrid vehicles research:

• Longstanding IC engine program focusing on alternative fuels and diesel engines (~$500K/yr)

• Electromechanical Systems Lab (EMSyL) is very successful in power electronics and large electric motor research (~$500K/yr)

Electromechanical Systems Lab• UA produced electric

vehicle testbed:

Structural Acoustic Lab

Ballard/UA/Freightliner award-winning fuel cell APU project

• Detailed spatial vibration measurements

• Vibration isolation, structural damping  

• Source location, directivity, and other acoustic characterizations

• Active control analysis, implementation

• Structural vibration and acoustic radiation modeling

$1M Earmark Research Program with Argonne Nat’l

LabFour research areas plus education

component for upcoming year:• Nanoscale design of autothermal

reforming catalysts (~$225K)• Design and integration of fuel cells

(~$225K)• Dynamic and acoustic studies (~$125K) • Hybrid electric vehicle research (~$325K)• Student education and training activities

(~$100K)

Growing Hyundai relationship

Hyundai Plant, Asan, South Korea

300,000 cars/yr

Hyundai is building a plant near Montgomery to manufacture 300,000 Santa Fe SUVs and

Sonata sedans per year

Growing Honda and Mercedes relationships

• Honda now doubling Odyssey plant near Lincoln

• Mercedes-Benz revamping M-Class, building new assembly plant for new vehicle near Tuscaloosa

Build Toyota Relationship• Toyota is expanding its engine manufacturing

facility near Hunt• Toyota builds V-8 engines for Tacoma and

Tundra pickups• Annual production of 250,000 engines per year

Questions?