McGill Formula Electric
McGill Formula Electric is an engineering design team that designs, manufactures, and competes a formula-style, open wheel, electric prototype with a full CFRP monocoque. The team strives to understand, develop, and implement the latest in green technology in order to produce the most competitive electric prototype and to be able to enter the workforce equipped to engineer a more sustainable future. This project stems from the continuous improvements made over the course of 20 years in McGill’s FSAE Chapter, and even a merger between two very competitive teams.
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We pride ourselves in the diversity of our members and their knowledge. Indeed, we are composed of over 160 students, not only electrical and mechanical engineers, but engineers from all departments as well as a few members from non-engineering faculties. This allows us to be involved with, relate to, and appeal to a wide variety of students in the university.
Our team’s goal is two-fold. First, we want to perform well in the 3 competitions we attend every summer, where our vehicle’s performance, engineering design, cost, and business pitch are tested. Last year we finished 3rd in Engineering Design at Formula North, and 2nd Overall at both the Pittsburgh and University of Toronto Shootout but our most notable results were at FSAE Electric Lincoln, the largest North American competition, where we placed 1st Overall, 1st in Engineering Design and 1st in Acceleration, setting a North American record at the same time.
Second, after cementing ourselves as the top team in North America, we’ve started a 3-year plan to bring our prototype to a level to be competitive with the best European teams. Since the North American SAE competitions have changed their rules to match those of European competitions, we can finally build a prototype that can compete across the globe.
At the end of the day, this project provides students with hands on engineering experience, where following a project, from design to manufacturing and testing for multiple years, teaches us to learn from our mistakes, plan ahead and continuously improve a product. McGill Formula Electric prepares students for the engineering profession through learning of engineering concepts, standards, and processes