By Cathy Hayes / staff writer

MERIDIAN — Ten students from Mississippi State University have stopped complaining about gas prices; instead, they’re competing in a nationwide contest to redesign the cars we drive.

The students showcased their “hybrid” car at MSU-Meridian Campus for U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., on Monday. Pickering is vice chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee.

General Motors Corp. and the U.S. Department of Energy have chosen 17 engineering schools in the United States and Canada to build a hybrid car, one powered by both both fossil fuels and electricity. The idea is to improve mileage and reduce emissions.

The contest is called “Challenge X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility.” Final competitors were chosen from a field of 60 applicants.

“The schools were selected in a small group of elite schools to find technology for our community that will help our country reach our needs for energy sources, so we don’t have to depend on other countries to provide fuel,” Pickering said.

Teams received $10,000 and a Chevrolet Equinox, the car they would use as a “starting place” for modifications. Each team was also eligible for $25,000 in parts and software from General Motors and other sponsors.

The cars will be transported by trailer to the General Motors proving grounds in Mesa, Ariz., for a national competition May 30 to June 8. It’s the finale of a three-year competition.

• Year 1: In the first year, students designed and mapped out their plans, which included a model, simulation, power train and subsystems. Each plan was evaluated and approved.

At the end of each year there was a pre-competition, where teams were evaluated on hardware, oral presentation, live simulation, a trade show booth, control strategy and a K-12 outreach program.

“At the end of first year we went to Detroit, Mich., for the pre-competition evaluation. Our plans for the hybrid were approved and we received our own Chevrolet Equinox to begin construction,” said Amanda McAlpin, a communications major and leader of the outreach team.

The outreach phase of competition also included communicating with the media and community, and maintaining a Web site. The MSU team placed first in both outreach and media and community. It also took second place in design presentation and third in technical presentation.

• Year 2: The students’ goal is for their hybrid to exceed the factory Equinox’s fuel efficiency by 50 percent.

“The stock hybrid receives 22 miles per gallon; our goal is to get 35 mpg,” said Christopher Whitt, a mechanical engineering major and power train group coordinator. “Right now we are in the low 30s and plan to do some more changes to increase our numbers and hopefully get to our goal by competition.”

The MSU team’s car has a B20 diesel engine in the front and a computerized engine in the back. Although it is electric, it does not have to be charged through an electric outlet.

“When the accelerator is pressed, the battery is being drained, but when the car is at a coasting speed or maintaining the same rate, the battery regains its power,” Whitt said.

At the second competition, the MSU students placed eighth out of 17 teams.

“Our goal is to place in the top five but increase in the areas we lacked in,” McAlpin said. “If we can maintain this strategy, we should be able to obtain our goal.”

• Year No. 3: At the final competition beginning May 30, GM technicians will inspect the cars to approve the safety features and make sure they meet all contest guidelines. Cars will then have to pass a braking, towing and speed test.

The cars should run the same as a normal gasoline-powered model — but without the high exhaust and gas bill.

“We would like to be in the top half of each event, but they are all different. Every team has their own strategy to win,” said Kennabec Walp, a computer engineering major and controls strategy group leader.

Other competing schools include Waterloo University in Canada, Georgia Tech University, University of Wisconsin, Tennessee State University and West Virginia State University. This is the first time MSU has competed in a contest like this one.

“There is a lot of time that goes into completing the competition. By hosting it, General Motors really gets the cream of the crop from the top engineering schools across the country,” McAlpin said. “Many of our recent graduates who have worked on the car have received jobs with GM.”

Pickering agreed: “Their brainpower will give us fire- and horsepower for the future.”

CHALLENGE X TEAM

The students representing Mississippi State University in the Challenge X contest are Christopher Whitt of Lauderdale; Kennabec Walp of Tylertown; Kyle Crawford of Columbus; Jimmy Mathews of Bombay, India; Amanda McAlpin of Mathiston; Josh Van Landingham of Jackson; Ron Lewis of Heidelberg; David Oglesby of Columbus; Brian Christian of Slidell, La.; and Stephen Phillips of French Camp.