Founded by the Society of Automotive Engineers in 1978, Formula SAE is a global competition with hundreds of university teams participating each year. Drexel Electric Racing competes in the FSAE Electric category in North America, where nearly 100 teams from around the world participate annually.
As the largest collegiate racing series, Formula SAE challenges students to design, build, and race formula-style vehicles. The competition spans four days and includes events like Technical Inspection, Cost & Manufacturing, Business Presentation, Engineering Design, Skidpad, Acceleration, Autocross, and Endurance/Efficiency.
THE EVENTS
ACCELERATION
Measures car’s acceleration over a 75m straight track
AUTOCROSS
Measures car’s maneuverability and handling over a tight course with a series of straights and turns
ENDURANCE
Measures car’s durability and reliability over a 22km race with 22 laps around a track
SKID-PAD
Measures car’s cornering ability over a constant-radius turn over a figure-8 track
EFFICIENCY
Measures car’s energy efficiency by monitoring energy use during the Endurance event
DESIGN
Evaluate the team’s adherence to good design practices during the conception, iteration, integration, and validation of every subsystem on the vehicle
SALES PRESENTATION
Assesses the team’s ability to compile a business case arguing that their car best serves the needs of the amateur racing market
