Our third and final drive for the day was Ohio State's biodiesel hybrid, also with a GM-sourced 1.9-liter turbodiesel running on B20, but this one backed by an Aisin six-speed automatic. This is the most like a stock Equinox -- put it in Drive and go. Transitions aren't as smooth, but driving it is close to what an SUV driver would experience in a stock vehicle.
Other entries used ethanol, ethanol/hydrogen, and reformulated gasoline. UC Davis's plug-in hybrid, the only such entry, can operate like a regular hybrid as well as a plug-in. It uses large enough batteries that during a power failure, it could potentially power a single-family home for two days.
These universities are doing the R&D that could lead to the next generation of hybrid vehicles, and it's smart for OEs to sponsor competitions like this and reap the benefits. But it helps the universities as well. One school that participated had a volunteer -- only automotive program three years ago; now there's a full automotive program on campus, and the students work for credit. And the enthusiasm, the passion, and the innovation that is coming from our schools is absolutely inspiring.
The next phase of the third Challenge X involves a road rally from New York to Washington, D.C., this coming May 2008, where the goal is to have politicians get behind the wheel of these Equinoxes. After that is the next competition, known as EcoCAR. For more information, visit www.challengex.org.