An EcoCAR 3 team from Virginia Tech comprised of Department of Communication majors and College of Engineering students won first-place honors in overall project management, closeout report, execution plan, vehicle handling, 0–60 mph acceleration, emissions, energy consumption, well-to-wheel criteria emissions, and autocross, where drivers test vehicle handling and performance on a closed course; they also placed second in several other events, posting a fourth-place finish overall.

The competition was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors.