Hyliion of Pittsburgh, PA, developer of a hybrid electric technology for semi-trailers, has been awarded a grand prize of $20,000 in the 2016 “Create the Future” Design Contest. Hyliion’s system hybridizes the trailer portion of the tractor-trailer combination and uses regenerative braking to capture power – saving over 30 percent on fuel and decreasing emissions by 10 percent.

Hyliion’s technology was among over 1,100 new product ideas submitted in the fourteenth annual design contest, which was established in 2002 to recognize and reward engineering innovations that benefit humanity, the environment, and the economy.

“The Hyliion team is honored to be the Grand Prize winner of the prestigious Create the Future Contest,” said Thomas Healy, CEO and Founder of Hyliion. “It is a tremendous validation of the impact the Hyliion Intelligent Electric Drive Axle System will have on the trucking industry and the environment.”

“Design innovation is bringing a brighter future to businesses, people, and the planet,” said Bernt Nilsson, Senior VP of Marketing with COMSOL, Inc. “This year’s Create the Future Design Contest shines the light on over a thousand innovators from around the globe and their brilliant designs. COMSOL is grateful to be a sponsor of the contest and we are delighted by the work of all participants contributing to a better tomorrow.”

“As a global distributor of new components and technologies, we are very excited to see the amazing ingenuity behind this year’s group of Create the Future entries,” said Kevin Hess, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Mouser Electronics. “We’d like to congratulate the winners and commend the entrants for their creative designs. Engineers and innovators really deserve the credit for the incredible developments we are seeing today in electronic design.”

In addition to the grand prize of $20,000, first-place winners were named in seven categories and received Hewlett-Packard workstation computers.