A student-designed electric race car from the University of Waterloo powered its way to a top-place finish at the Formula Hybrid+Electric competition, a premier international student challenge for hybrid and electric vehicles.
The University of Waterloo’s Formula Electric (UWFE) team earned its podium result at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, competing against 28 other teams from across North America in late April.
Hosted by Dartmouth College, the annual event tested student-built vehicles for speed, handling, endurance and energy efficiency.
With a redesigned electrical system and year-long focus on reliability, the team’s car excelled under pressure, highlighting not only technical performance but also the depth of student collaboration and innovation behind the build.
The University of Waterloo's Formula Electric (UWFE) team earned first place at a global EV competition. Photo credit: Nirosh Ratnarajah.
Reliability wins races
For UWFE, their first-place result is the culmination of nearly a year of hands-on design, rapid iteration and strategic overhaul. “This win is incredibly meaningful to the team and emphasizes not only the work we've done this season, but also in every car that has come before,” said Taras Rawlinson, a fourth-year mechatronics student and UWFE’s technical lead. “Our performance in New Hampshire represents years of development, learning, and dedication. It’s remarkable to witness the progress we’ve made within the last five years.”
That multi-year progression helped the team zero in on one of their biggest upgrades yet. “An extensive summer testing period gave us critical data on our battery pack and electronic systems, which revealed key areas that needed improvement,” said fourth-year mechatronics student Rohan Sharma, who serves as UWFE’s integration lead. “In record time, we completely redesigned our wire harness, power distribution board and battery management system to buy us crucial time for integration. It really helped us to avoid the kind of issues that have slowed us down in past years.”
The result was a streamlined electrical system that shaved 10 pounds off the vehicle’s weight and paid off under pressure. “When a wire detached during autocross, our labelled and simplified harness meant we were able to diagnose and fix the issue within minutes,” Sharma added. “We were back on the track and secured first place soon after!”
Built by passion
Beyond the podium, the project offered students critical experience in real-world design and teamwork. “Working with my UWFE teammates has been incredibly valuable,” said RJ Masse, a third-year mechanical engineering student and the team’s suspension lead. “I’ve been able to apply the knowledge I’ve learned in class, get mentorship from more experienced members and alumni, and gain hands-on skills that have helped with co-op and career goals. Plus, I’ve made great friends and had a lot of fun sharing this passion for motorsports.”
For Rawlinson, the victory was also the direct result of collective effort and a shared mindset of continuous improvement over time. “Our success wouldn’t have been possible without the UWFE members who worked on each iteration of our vehicle over the past five years,” he said. “We’re very proud of our 2025 team for making major improvements in reliability, serviceability and performance, which played a critical role in winning in New Hampshire.”
“The team is thrilled with this achievement, and already hard at work preparing for our next challenge in Michigan!”
For more information on how to get involved with the Faculty of Engineering’s student design teams, visit the Sedra Student Design Centre website.