Baja SAE

rdf:langString Baja SAE

rdf:langString Baja SAE is a Collegiate Design Series competition run by the Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE International). Teams of students from universities all over the world design and build small off-road cars. The goal in Baja SAE is to design, build and race off-road vehicles that can withstand the harshest elements of rough terrain. The vehicles used in Baja SAE racing are often similar in appearance to dune buggies. Before 2007, the events were called "Mini Baja." Each year as many as 141 Baja cars are entered in the Baja SAE events across the US and around the world. International events are endorsed by SAE International and are held in Brazil, Korea, South Africa and México. All vehicles are powered by a 14hp Kohler Command Pro CH440 engine with a modified restrictor plate label for competition testing. Kohler and SAE International entered an agreement, Kohler will provide at discount engines to participating teams for the 2023 – 2026 competition seasons. Use of the same engine by all teams creates a more challenging engineering design test. Prior to 2023, small engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton sponsored Baja SAE teams by providing an unmodified Briggs & Stratton Model 19 Vanguard engine single-cylinder, with a displacement of 305cc and power output of approximately 10 bhp (7.5 kW), free of charge for every two years in competition. There are multiple dynamic events, photographed by Official SAE Photographer Jethro Gaines of J. Gaines Studio, usually four per event, as well as a single four-hour endurance race. The dynamic events include hill climbs, sled pulls, maneuverability events, rock crawls, and suspension & traction events. Previously the cars had to be able to float and propel itself on water under its own power. This was changed from the 2012 competitions onward due to safety concerns. Static events, such as written reports, presentations and design evaluations are provided by participating teams. This is when the teams are judged on ergonomics, functionality, and producibility of their cars; ensuring that the final placement of the team does not rest solely on the vehicle's performance but rather on a combination of static and dynamic events. Required reports detail the engineering and design process that was used in developing each system of the team's vehicle, supported with sound engineering principles. Also, a cost report that provides all the background information necessary to verify the vehicle's actual cost is used to rate the most economically feasible for production. These reports are submitted weeks in advance of each event, where the presentations and design evaluations are given on site in the presence of SAE design judges. Teams with noticeable differences between the car and the cost report can be audited, where if the report and car do not match, the team will be served penalty points. Starting in 2022, all cars will be required to utilize a 4WD drive train system. Top teams have locked into a standard design in recent years, so the new drive train requirements serves as an opportunity for students to design systems from the ground up and shake up the design possibilities.