Morrisville Automotive Faculty, Students Assist Cornell University Students With Fuel-Efficient Competition Vehicle

Morrisville State College automotive faculty and students recently rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to help a team of Cornell University students ready its wheels for upcoming competition.



The students, an engineering project group called the Cornell 100+ MPG (miles per gallon) Team http://www.cornellaxp.com/, are nearing completion of a hybrid car they built from scratch to compete in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-Prize Competition. The competition entails designing, building and racing super-efficient vehicles that will achieve 100 miles per gallon.



Cornell students spent two days in Morrisville State College's auto body facility, working alongside automotive students and faculty, gaining expert tips and assistance placing body panels they hope will streamline them to a win.



Cornell University's all-student team is the only known university team in the mainstream competition.



John Faicco, automotive technology bachelor degree major and Eric Sachs, auto body major, were among Morrisville State College students getting the vehicle, a slimmed-down Honda Civic body on a Subaru Sambar ('80s vintage mini-truck) chassis, race-ready.



While they were fabricating panels to fit side openings, JJ Ligos, a mechanical engineering major from Cornell University, Julian Collis, automotive technology major and Murray Shackelford, instructional support associate, both from Morrisville State College, were working together to strengthen the floor panels.