WVU ’s FutureTruck team pose with their re-engineered, fuel-efficient Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle.”src=” “http://www.nis.wvu.edu/2004_Releases/images/future_truck/future_truck_small.jpg””:http://www.nis.wvu.edu/2004_Releases/images/future_truck/future_truck_small.jpg&quot ; width=”260”border=”0”/>p. * KEEP ON FUTURETRUCKIN ’* Members of WVU ’s FutureTruck team pose with their re-engineered, fuel-efficient Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle. WVU will be among 15 schools competing in FutureTruck 2004 June 9-17 at Ford’s Proving Ground in Romeo, Mich. FutureTruck is a unique engineering program that brings together industry, government and academia in an effort to address environmental and energy-related issues posed by SUVs.

WVU and 14 other North American schools will be putting their re-engineered, fuel-efficient Ford Explorer SUVs through some grueling test drives as part of FutureTruck 2004 June 9-17 at Fords Proving Ground in Romeo, Mich. WVU finished seventh overall in last years competition and first in lowest greenhouse gas emissions.

Our vehicle, which we have renamed The Exclaim!, is a hybrid vehicle that runs on both diesel fuel and an electric motor powered by a 48-volt battery,said Mark Jacobs, team captain and a mechanical and aerospace engineering senior.The diesel fuelbiodieselis 35 percent soy-based, which helps to clean up the emissions of the vehicle.

We get 27 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 in the city, compared to 24 on the highway and 15 in the city for a Ford Explorer you would buy at a car lot,added Jacobs, of Dayton, Ohio.

FutureTruck is a unique engineering program that brings together industry, government and academia in an effort to address environmental and energy-related issues posed by large, gas-hungry SUVs. Ford and the U.S. Department of Energy are the main sponsors, and Argonne National Laboratorys Center for Transportation Research manages the program.

Participants take a Ford Explorer donated by the automaker and re-engineer the drive train to improve fuel economy and reduce air-polluting emissions without sacrificing performance, safety and affordable price. Ford also provides parts and financial support.

The vehicles undergo a safety and handling inspection before the teams compete in several events designed to evaluate fuel economy, emissions, acceleration and performance, Jacobs said. Events include driving the vehicle in an off-road setting, towing a 2,000-pound trailer uphill and taking an 80-mile spin through a simulated city driving course.

This years competition takes place at a time when prices at the pump have soared beyond $2 a gallon and sales tracker Autodata has reported a 15 percent drop in SUV purchases for April.

FutureTruck provides practical experience to students, giving them an idea of what it is like to work in the automotive industry, Jacobs said.

This is the most useful class Ive had at the University,he said.Besides learning how vehicles work and about design, you learn about teamwork, planning and scheduling. It pretty much incorporates every class Ive had in the engineering discipline.

Besides Jacobs, other leaders of WVU s team are co-captain Steve Herron of Fairmont; hybrid team captain Robert Kern of Alexandria, Va.; controls team captain Eric McCormick of Baltimore; and power train team captain Taylor Glotfelty of McHenry, Md.

Other team members are Clayton Ewen of Wichita, Kan.; Kevin Groll of Pittsburgh; Kenneth Hershberger of Clearville, Pa.; Ryan Hodges and Derek Smith, both of Huntington; Adrienne Hypes of Lewisburg; Christopher Judy of Arthur; Scott Logsdon and Howard Mearns, both of Morgantown; Raymond McFarland of Inwood; Ryan McWhorter of Clarksville, Md.; Eric Moody of Parsons; Kuntal Vora Mumbaio of India; Adam Paff of Summersville; Ryan Plummely of Pliny; Matthew Rutherford of Orlando, W.Va.; Steven Seachman of Wheeling; Christian Shaffer and Bryan Wimer, both of Weston; David Sikorski of Ellicott, Md.; and Christopher Sunderlan of Fredonia, Pa.

They are all mechanical and aerospace engineering students or graduates with the exception of Hypes, who is a graduate student in public administration.

Nigel Clark, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, is the teams faculty adviser.

Other participating schools are California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Cornell University; Georgia Institute of Technology; Michigan Technological University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; Texas Tech University; University of Alberta; University of California-Davis; University of Idaho; University of Maryland; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; University of Wisconsin, Madison; and Virginia Tech.

This will be the last year for FutureTruck, and a new three-year competitionChallenge Xwill take its place. In Challenge X, student teams from 15 schools, including WVU , will re-engineer a General Motors crossover SUV to minimize energy consumption, emissions and greenhouse gases while maintaining or exceeding the vehicles stock performance.