EcoCAR is a multi‑year **collegiate engineering competition** sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), General Motors (GM), and managed by Argonne National Laboratory. University teams re‑engineer a production vehicle (currently focused on connected and automated vehicles) to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and maintain consumer appeal using advanced propulsion systems and vehicle automation technologies. While EcoCAR itself is **not a high school competition**, it is highly relevant for high school students interested in sustainable transportation, automotive engineering, computer science, and data science. Motivated high schoolers often engage with EcoCAR indirectly by following team projects, attending public outreach events or team open houses at nearby universities, connecting with university EcoCAR teams for mentoring, or preparing in STEM clubs (e.g., robotics, EV clubs) with the goal of joining an EcoCAR team in college. Participation offers college students extensive hands‑on experience, industry mentorship from GM and DOE experts, and strong career pathways in automotive and clean energy sectors. For high school students, EcoCAR serves as a **clear target and inspiration**: understanding its requirements can help guide course selection (physics, programming, engineering, environmental science) and choice of STEM extracurriculars that build relevant skills for future participation at the university level.