Ļć½¶Ö±²„

Mississippi Stateā€™s ā€˜Car of the Futureā€™ revealed in Detroit

Mississippi Stateā€™s ā€˜Car of the Futureā€™ revealed in Detroit

Contact: Allison Matthews

The Car of the Futureā€™s innovative technologies are framed in a distinctive paint job performed by Clinton Body Shop, featuring custom Kandy maroon and ice white pearl colors by House of Kolor. The lighter, greener hybrid vehicle offers over 100 miles of driving using the equivalent of a single gallon of gas. (Photo by Hunter Hart)

STARKVILLE, Miss.ā€”Ļć½¶Ö±²„ is showcasing its ā€œCar of the Futureā€ this week in Detroit, Michigan, during an event designed to bring together the best talent in the automotive industry. Ā 

Ļć½¶Ö±²„researchers from the universityā€™s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems are attending the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress April 12-14, when they will reveal the universityā€™s ā€œCar of the Futureā€ after more than two years of work. (For more see )

The project has been under development by a team of Ļć½¶Ö±²„faculty, students and alumni working to build a lighter, greener hybrid vehicle that offers over 100 miles of driving using the equivalent of a single gallon of gas ā€“ an achievement no other car on the market can offer at the same level of superior efficiency, sporty handling and outstanding performance. The project was funded through a generous gift from Ļć½¶Ö±²„alumnus James Worth Bagley to the Ļć½¶Ö±²„Foundation.

Ļć½¶Ö±²„President Mark E. Keenum said he is eager for the university to share its new state-of-the-art technological advancements and promote the universityā€™s industrial research and development capabilities.

A Clinton auto shop that had a part in readying the car for display also is cheering it on. Clinton Body Shop provided custom colors by House of Kolor, including Kandy burgundy over a black base, with ice white pearl stripes over a white base. The car is coated with several layers of show clear for maximum shine.

The universityā€™s ā€œCar of the Futureā€ features:

ā€”Control algorithms that recognize driving patterns and can predict future driving patterns.

ā€”Custom designed cast magnesium sub-frame that reduces mass by 40 percent compared to the stock sub-frame while supporting a dual-motor electric drive axle.

ā€”Rear wheel torque vectoring for traction control and enhanced stability to hug tight curves.

ā€”Lightweight battery pack incorporating improved cell cooling through the use of proprietary cooling technologies.

ā€œMississippi State is anticipating and adapting to the needs of an accelerating automotive industry. Our engineering design teams are trained to recognize the industryā€™s directional changes and innovate advanced systems, from predictive engine management to regenerative braking systems and more,ā€ Keenum said.

Project leader Matthew Doude, business development officer for CAVS, said the university brings to each of its projects the same attention to detail, innovative approaches and technical expertise to attain success.

ā€œThe Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems represents the junction between industry and academia. CAVS is where university expertise is applied to solving industrial research and development challenges, on time and under budget,ā€ he said.

He said MSUā€™s ā€œCar of the Futureā€ demonstrates the broad range of university design and prototyping capabilities. The group also is working to expand educational opportunities for students and generate more research and development projects for their center.

Zach Rowland, deputy director of CAVS, said CAVS is an interdisciplinary center comprised of research, engineering design and development, and technology transfer teams for industry and government partners.

To learn more, visit or email mdoude@cavs.msstate.edu.

Ļć½¶Ö±²„is Mississippiā€™s leading university, available online at .