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Abstract
After approximately 6 years away from official SAE-sanctioned competitions, the USI
Baja Racing Team of 2021-2022 returned for the 2022 Baja SAE season at Tennessee Tech, with
a young and inexperienced lineup and a vehicle that was on the final steps of its lifespan. The
car, codenamed MAX, was built and competed for the only season, as the unfortunate event of
COVID-19 prevented its completion. Many valuable lessons and experiences were learned from
observing fellow students and competitors, as well as sponsors’ showcase vehicles. From this
foundation, the team has decided to construct an entirely new vehicle to compete for the 2023
season of Baja SAE and beyond. The objective of this project focuses on the chassis of the race
vehicle, using lessons learned previously. Four chassis from four different teams were studied to
understand the decisions and engineering completed for the design, which were then utilized to
develop three different concepts of the 2023 chassis. Each concept explores a different design
philosophy and directions, as well as interpretation of the rulebook. The core factors that dictate
the overall design of a racing chassis are Integration of surround subsystems, such as powertrain,
suspension and ergonomic, Manufacturability with the available facilities, and Protection of the
driver. The team divided the chassis into three primary focus areas: Fore – Footwell, Center –
Driver Cockpit, and Aft – Powertrain Bay. Each section required different elements to be
considered, and at the end, needed to mesh in a complete harmony. The then completed chassis
was evaluated during the assembly process and lessons for future design were discussed.