University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team at Canadian International Auto Show

If you visit the Canadian International AutoShow at the Toronto Convention Centre over the next three days make sure you visit the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) booth (#909-911).  You will not go away less than impressed.

UWAFT is hoping to design, build, and eventually bring to market the hydrogen vehicles of the future.  UWAFT has developed partnerships with General Motors, the Department of Energy, and others in the prestigious and popular EcoCAR Challenge. 

The Challenge pits 17 universities across Canada and the States against each other for a three year period to see develop a program that can “reduce the environmental impact of vehicles by minimizing the vehicle’s fuel consumption and reducing its emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance, safety and consumer appeal.” 

Presently, the Challenge is in it’s 2nd year and will wrap up in the Spring/Summer of 2011. 

Anna Sinicki is the Outreach Coordinator for UWAFT:

At University of Waterloo, we are very excited to be building a car that runs on stored hydrogen and will only emit water (i.e. ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS!). We are one of only two teams in the competition with this vehicle architecture which will be built in the spring for final judging. Next year of the competition, we will be optimizing the vehicle’s performance.

According to their website, UWAFT has a number of goals to accomplish this year.  Included among these goals is the integration of a fuel cell hybrid powertrain in to the vehicle. 

To see the updated status of this innovative project please visit the UWAFT website.  Or better yet, visit the AutoShow and meet the hope and future of a greener tomorrow, today.