American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings aims to help grow young engineering talent and improve electric-vehicle efficiency through a Visionary Sponsorship of the EcoCAR EV Challenge.

In the four-year student competition, university teams compete by engineering next-generation battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and use automation and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) to create new vehicle features and technologies that decarbonize the automotive industry.

“AAM has a long history of supporting STEM education at all levels and helping grow the next generation of automotive talent,” said David C. Dauch, AAM chairman and chief executive officer. “As a Visionary Sponsor of the EcoCAR EV Challenge, we are helping students learn about sustainable mobility and fuel their engineering passion.”

AAM’s four-year sponsorship is comprised of financial contributions as well as “in-kind credits” such as software and engineering support. 

Most significantly, AAM is supplying five college teams with its premier three-in-one configurable platform electric drive unit. This next-generation EDU combines a high-speed motor, compact gearbox and integrated inverter, offering a 40% reduction in packaging space, according to the company.

AAM’s EDU provides best-in-class improvements in mass and volumetric efficiency, power density and reduced power loss,” the company said in a news release. “It also has the potential to improve range – further helping EVs create a carbon footprint advantage.”

Through its sponsorship, AAM is developing relationships with premier engineering talent; a total of more than 2,600 diverse students from across North America are participating in the EcoCAR EV Challenge. AAM plans to host a winter workshop at its Detroit campus in early 2024 where students can see firsthand the innovative products and processes being developed by AAM engineers.

To learn more about the EcoCAR EV Challenge, visit its website.