Over 100 engineering students from the University of Tennessee's Tickle College of Engineering have been selected to compete in the 2026 EcoCAR Innovation Challenge against 19 other universities across North America. The four-year competition, administered by the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by General Motors and Stellantis, challenges students to develop innovative, energy-efficient automotive solutions using emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicle systems. Tennessee will be transforming a Jeep Grand Cherokee whilst completing approximately 30 project milestones in the first year alone.

The Tennessee team plans to meet Stellantis's requirements for optimising the vehicle's off-road capabilities whilst also pursuing additional autonomous driving innovations to distinguish themselves from competitors. With a history dating back to the original EcoCAR Challenge in 1988—which Tennessee won—the students are confident about their prospects of securing the title by 2030. Team members acknowledge public scepticism about self-driving vehicles but are committed to advancing the technology through consistent development and building consumer trust.