Wiley wheels into the future

Chancellor John Wiley plans to drive the FutureTruck, a Ford Explorer re-engineered by students, Monday, May 13, at 11:30 a.m. at Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive.

The FutureTruck is part of the College of Engineering automotive program, which provides students the chance to gain hands-on research experience with vehicles, engine systems, and new automotive technology. Student teams work on automobiles, trucks, mini-baja (off-road) vehicles, and formula-style race cars, and enter them in contests held throughout the country.

The FutureTruck program aims to create an environmentally friendly, hybrid sport utility vehicle. The main objective is to modify an existing SUV to increase its fuel economy and create cleaner gas emissions without compromising the safety, convenience or performance of the vehicle. UW–Madison’s FutureTruck will compete later this year against vehicles from more than a dozen other universities in a competition that evaluates safety, towing ability, performance, greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy and consumer acceptance.

UW–Madison’s previous version of the FutureTruck, a 2000 Chevrolet Suburban dubbed “The Moollennium,” finished second in the 2001 FutureTruck competition. The UW–Madison students won a team award in 2001 for best workmanship. The FutureTruck team finished fourth in the 2000 FutureTruck competition with the Moollennium.

Wiley is a member of the College of Engineering faculty and served as the college’s associate dean for research from 1986-89.