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Your Sponsorship Builds Tomorrow’s Leaders!

Two adults and two children are engaged in hands-on STEM activities at a table during an Earth Day workshop. They are working with small motors, wires, and craft materials in a classroom with shelves of educational supplies in the background.

UC Riverside is one of only 15 elite North American universities selected to compete in the prestigious EcoCAR EV Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors, MathWorks, and managed by Argonne National Laboratory. This competition is empowering UCR students to become leaders and innovators by providing industry-level experience in cutting-edge automotive research and development. Our students gain unparalleled hands-on experience in their chosen fields, connect with career opportunities through our sponsors and mentors, and integrate EcoCAR tasks directly into their curriculum.

We are building UCR’s promising new EcoCAR EV Challenge Team into a hub for automotive training in Inland Southern California, empowering our community through local education, economic growth, advanced facilities, and career development so students can thrive in industry, academia, and government without having to leave the region.

To compete at the highest level, the UCR EcoCAR team seeks funding to support our students, cover travel to EcoCAR events, and purchase innovative components. Your gift helps the team push boundaries, innovate, and aim for victory. Every contribution makes a difference.

Make Your Gift Today!

Here are some of the ways your donations can help

Support UCR students’ education

Engage in real-world vehicle development projects that build leadership and industry skills
Fund mini-grants and scholarships for research, publications, and travel
Connect teams with industry mentors and experts
Open direct pathways to top jobs in the field

Create a Foundation for Our First Year in a Nationally Recognized Competition

Foster interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-campus projects with other schools and competition organizers
Build publicity and credibility for UCR and the local community
Connect with the AVTC Alumni network across the automotive industry

Contribute to STEM Education at UCR and in Riverside

Expand and enhance facilities, equipment, tools, and lab spaces
Strengthen engineering curriculum to align with industry standards
Provide pre-college STEM exposure and support UCR recruitment efforts

What the EcoCAR Challenge means for some of our students:

The EcoCAR Challenge brings great opportunities that can open new doors for students here at UCR, not only in gaining hands-on experience, but also industry connections. It goes beyond simply being a club or a competition – here students can propose innovative solutions and gain support for it, while being exposed to real-world industry standards. I can’t wait to start working on the vehicle!

Jacqueline Garrido

Project Manager | Ph.D. Candidate, Electrical Engineering

EcoCAR allows me to work with other students on state-of-the-art CAV tools and electric vehicles. It’s rewarding to exchange my knowledge with other ambitious, talented individuals, and to see each other grow as individuals and as a team!

Zhengwei Bai

CAV Lead | Ph.D. Candidate, Electrical and Computer Engineering

As one of the first California Universities to take part in this series, I feel like we’ve opened a bridge to an exciting world of new connections, cultures, and innovations. I’m very much looking forward to exchanging ideas with other students from different schools and disciplines - it's already been a blast to meet so many diverse individuals from the workshops!

Trang Bui

Communications Manager | MBA, Information Systems and Supply Chain Management

As we move through the third year of this competition and head into the fourth, together we spearhead this exciting chapter for our University and pave the way for our students to take their passions further than ever before.

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EcoCAR EV Challenge at UC Riverside