Car Teams: Current Activities

Hundreds of our undergraduates are involved in the campus’ multidisciplinary car teams, whose members are rooted in MechSE and The Grainger College of Engineering. 

Illini Formula Electric: FSAE Electric
Aerodynamics and Composites Lead Ben Schultz: “We have worked really hard to get our manufacturing done efficiently this year so we are excited to get lots of testing and useful data this year. If we collect this data now it can help to improve our design of the car in the future.”

Illini Motorsports: FSAE
President Alex Kirr and Captain Stephen Bosch: “Last year we had one of our best competition seasons finishing 17th at FSAE Michigan and 23rd at FSAE Lincoln while making design finals at FSAE Lincoln for the second time in team history. This year we have the privilege of working with a very talented and dedicated team. We’re looking forward to improving on last year’s successes.”

The Offroad Illini: Baja SAE
Co-Captain Keira Frese: “From a vehicle standpoint. I’m excited to see our custom drivetrain work because it’s the first time we ever tried it. It really shows how much our team has grown. From a team perspective, I’m looking forward to seeing new members at competition. I remember that being some of the best times I had on Baja when I first joined and I’m hoping that new members will get to feel like that, too.” 

Eco Illini Supermileage 
President Stefan Kamzol: "Last year, we suspended production of our dedicated electric vehicle due to the pandemic, yet we attended the virtual Shell Eco Marathon Americas and finished 7th overall in the Design Report Challenge at SAE Supermileage. This year, we look to install our new brushless motors in our lightest vehicle to date and rigorously test both our gasoline and electric vehicles before our competitions, all through a hybrid model of interaction." Upcoming Events:

• Engineering Open House (TBD)
• Shell EcoMarathon Americas (March 31st - April 3rd)
• SAE Supermileage  (June 5th - 6th) 

Illini EV Concept
President and Mechanical Lead Robert Mauge: “This year we are designing and manufacturing carbon fiber rims ourselves. This essentially will be the capstone project for our learning process with carbon fiber, as it requires a lot of knowledge and specialized skill to create successfully.”

Solar Car
Co-Director of Engineer Lucy Zhang: “We’re going to be trying out a new kind of motor that will hopefully give us a greater efficiency over the long distances we will be traveling. In addition, our array team has acquired some of the best silicon solar cells on the market; every percentage of efficiency counts for solar car racing!”

Want to support a team?

Your gift will directly impact the numerous MechSE undergraduates who participate and thrive on our car teams. (Make sure you select a specific team under the "Student Society Support" drop down menu.)