about us
About us
Founded in 2011, UBC Baja has designed, manufactured, and assembled five vehicles. Our team competes in the International Baja SAE Collegiate Design Series & Racing Circuit in North America. Organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), UBC Baja is proud UBC Vancouver Applied Science, and SAE British Columbia organization.
The Competition
The competition is organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers SAE, the competition consists of 5 dynamic events and 3 static events designed to simulate real world engineering projects and their associated challenges. The Intercollegiate SAE Competition Series takes place over 4 days, culminating in a 4-hour  wheel-to-wheel endurance race over rocks, jumps, mud pits, and other obstacles designed to test the vehicels’ limits.Â
the teams behind the build
Join one of our 6 subteams below:Â
- Chassis - The chassis subteam focuses on designing and manufacturing the structural foundation of the vehicle. This includes the frame, which is built through precise tube bending and jigging to ensure accuracy and repeatability.Their projects are highly interdisciplinary and give members the opportunity to work in many areas. Members contribute to projects such as the sheet metal design and fabrication, applying FEA analysis and bending. They also work on carbon fibre components like body panels, which involve CNC-machined mold preparation and carbon fibre layups.
- Driver Controls - The driver controls subteam focuses on the systems that connect the driver to the car, including the throttle, brake, and steering systems. With an emphasis on safely, responsiveness, and driver feel, the team designs, builds, and tests components that allow for precise and reliable control in diverse terrain. From dealing in brake performance to refining steering feedback they also work on the seat, headrest, and dashboard. Driver controls plays a key role in making sure the car is safe, consistent, and ready for the demands of endurance racing.
- Mechatronics - The mechatronics subteam oversees the design, manufacturing, and testing of the mechatronic and electrical systems for the vehicle. This includes the power distribution, sensor network, and data acquisition systems used during testing and competition. Members design custom PCBs for systems such as radio telemetry, dashboard and steering wheel displays, and data collection networks. They do hands-on hardware and firmware validation, 3D modelling, and software development.
- Powertrain - The powertrain subteam specializes in transferring power from the engine to the wheels. They focus on the gearing, transmission, 2WD and 4WD systems, front differential, axles. Members gain hands-on experience bringing these systems to life in CNC and manual machining, while using 3D CAD modeling to design and refine components. They apply Finite Element Analyses to evaluate strength and performance under load, and work on gear design to optimize efficiency and durability. Along the way, members also develop an understanding of component specification, carefully selecting parts such as bearings and seals to ensure reliability in demanding race conditions.
- Suspension - The suspension subteam is directly concerned with how the vehicle rides and handles. They work on linkages such as the control arms at the front, trailing arms in the rear, the shocks, uprights, steering rack and more. The suspension team provides a great opportunity to learn about vehicle dynamics, 3D CAD modelling, CNC machining, structural design and design optimizations through Finite Element Analyses, sheet metal design, and a variety of practical hands-on skills like mill and lathe work. They also design with mechanical fuses in mind to protect critical components under extreme loads, while using component specification to carefully select parts that balance strength, weight, and reliability.
- Business- The business subteam manages all the behind-the-scene operations that keeps the team working smoothly, while focusing on sponsorships, branding, finance, and competition logistic. The team is divided up into marketing, administration, and finance. Marketing focuses on sponsorship outreach, social media, event planning, and brand image. Admin's main tasks are competition planning, team organization, presentations and supporting the team treasurer and captain. Finance does the accounting for all expenses the team encurrs, assists in issuing reimbursements, and provides financial insights for cost projections on new projects.
Join our team
Recruitment begins the first week of September, stay tuned on our LinkedIn and Instagram for updates!
- Challenge your creative problem solving with innovative off-road designs
- Tackle real-world engineering challenges through hands-on vehicle design
- Develop skills in mechanical design, optimization, manufacturing, management, and much more
- Kickoff for careers in mechanical, structural, electrical, and software design
