DETROIT, March 7,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Battery Workforce Challenge,
a public-private partnership and North American collegiate
engineering competition between the U.S Department of Energy (DOE),
Stellantis and Argonne National Laboratory, announced today that
the recently introduced Ram ProMaster electric van is the vehicle
that students will receive to design, build, test and integrate an
advanced electric vehicle (EV) battery pack.
The 2024 Ram ProMaster EV was introduced earlier this year and
is designed specifically for electrification, featuring a unibody
design that efficiently incorporates the production battery pack.
Perfect as a work van to perform commercial activities, this
application serves as an exciting opportunity for students to
design batteries for bigger vehicles.
The Battery Workforce Challenge began in 2023 and features
12 North American university teams, each partnering with a local
community college. The teams were selected through a competitive
process to secure a spot in the elite competition. Participating
students will receive firsthand, experiential learning and will
work in close partnership with industry experts to tackle one of
the most relevant real-world engineering challenges facing the
automotive industry today.
"Using this new Ram ProMaster EV during the competition is a
critical way for the EV workforce of the future to further advance
EV transportation technologies and it contributes to DOE's efforts
to improve the sustainable energy economy," said Michael Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Sustainable Transportation and Fuels in the Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy at DOE.
"The new Ram ProMaster EV is designed specifically for
electrification and provides the students with a great proving
ground to push the boundaries of technology," said Micky Bly, Stellantis' senior vice president and
head of Global Propulsion Systems. "We look forward to seeing the
students' creative solutions for incorporating a Stellantis battery
pack into the vehicle and how their work will help shape the future
of mobility."
Claus Daniel, associate
laboratory director for Advanced Energy Technologies at Argonne
National Laboratory, said Argonne's management of the Battery
Workforce Challenge naturally extends the laboratory's longstanding
contributions to battery and transportation R&D. "Sixty percent
of EVs on the road today run at least in part on Argonne
technology, and more than 30,000 students have experienced an
unparalleled automotive engineering education thanks to our
management of DOE Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions.
Accelerating science and developing the next-generation workforce
help Argonne drive U.S. prosperity and security," he said.
The competition culminates in 2026, with the winning teams
receiving dozens of annual engineering and sponsor-related category
awards; $100,000 in industry-provided
prize money; and invaluable real-world experience working with
industry leaders.
Additional organizations sponsoring the Battery Workforce
Challenge include: AVL, Dana Corporation, MathWorks, Analog
Devices, Inc., and Gamma Technologies.
About the Ram ProMaster EV
With a targeted range of up
to 162 miles in-city driving, the new Ram ProMaster EV is the
brand's first available fully electrified vehicle.
Two mission-specific configurations will be available, including
the delivery model and two cargo models. The Ram ProMaster EV cargo
model will be available in two configurations, including a 12-foot
cargo length and an extended 13-foot cargo length (both with
159-inch wheelbases).
ProMaster EV's battery is positioned under the floor in the
center of the vehicle, which maintains a flat floor while cargo
volume is unchanged from internal combustion engine vehicles.
Stellantis North America
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers
and a mobility provider. In North
America, it's best known for producing and selling vehicles
in a portfolio of iconic and award-winning brands such as Jeep®,
Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat.
Powered by its diversity, Stellantis leads the way the region
and the world move – aspiring to become the greatest sustainable
mobility tech company, not the biggest, while creating added value
for all stakeholders as well as the communities in which it
operates.
Battery Workforce Challenge
The collegiate
competition is part of DOE's broader Battery Workforce Challenge
Program, which also includes regional training with vocational and
community colleges; STEM youth education; and an online tool for
career and technical education. The program is dedicated to
cultivating a diverse cohort of skilled engineers, technicians and
workers to propel domestic battery technology forward.
Follow the Battery Workforce Challenge on social
media:
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/battery-workforce-challenge/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/battchallenge/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BattChallenge
Follow the U.S. DOE:
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/eeregov/
Follow Stellantis:
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/Stellantis
Media Contacts:
Kimberly
DeClark, Argonne National Laboratory, kdeclark@anl.gov,
202-441-0096
Dan Reid, Stellantis,
dan.reid@stellantis.com, 248-202-7697
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leading-the-way-for-ev-battery-workforce-education-ram-promaster-electric-van-selected-for-battery-workforce-challenge-north-american-collegiate-competition-302082260.html
SOURCE Battery Workforce Challenge