January 2026 Blog

January has come to a close, and it did not pass without significant progress in the car’s design. Every sub-team made meaningful advancements, from the dynamics team finalizing their geometry analysis to the electrical team beginning hands-on work with their equipment. 

Looking ahead, the team is now shifting some of its focus toward the manufacturing processes required to bring the car to life. CAD models are being stress-tested and refined with production in mind, marking an exciting transition from design to reality. 

None of this progress would be possible without the dedication of our team members. From early Saturday mornings to evenings spent refining designs, the students involved have been exceptionally committed. The work is demanding, but the team continues to rise to every challenge that comes our way.

Powertrain

The new year brought several new members to the powertrain team. These new members have done a great job integrating into the team and getting up to speed. On the drivetrain side, the group working on the motor and differential mounts has made strong progress and multiple design iterations. They’re on track to finalize the mounting design by the end of February. In addition, we successfully flashed the VCU and had the opportunity to attend a tutorial session with Audesse, who explained how to use the VCU and provided guidance on how to approach the software architecture for our car.

During January, we were able to purchase the battery pack, inverter, and motor thanks to the UNB Mechanical Department’s generosity and the donation we received. With these three major components acquired, the team is looking promising for an October race, though only time will tell if this goal is achieved. Furthermore, we have begun developing the overall schematics for the shutdown circuit, BSPD and the tractive system.

Dynamics

All dynamics team members got to work on their respective subteams after a well earned winter break. The rear suspension team continues working closely with the powertrain team to finalize outsourced components such as axles and bearings. Current efforts are focused on bearing selection, spindle sizing based on calculated load cases, and packaging the upright around the drivetrain and braking system. The rear wheel hub and upright have gone through several design iterations, and we are getting closer to finalizing material choices and dimensions for modelling and manufacturing.

Front suspension components that have been completed are currently undergoing FEA to assess design feasibility, while also focusing on reducing weight, cost, and manufacturing complexity.

Our dynamic modelling workflow has improved significantly with the launch of our new GitHub repository, making it easier to share and edit MATLAB files. We have upgraded our wheel loading script to calculate forces in all three dimensions, allowing us to map combined loads to individual suspension members and determine required spindle diameters. We are also exploring Simscape Multibody to integrate with other vehicle systems and work toward a full digital twin. In addition, we have been implementing different track inputs in the full vehicle model to better simulate real driving conditions.

Chassis

This month, the chassis team completed a detailed review of the FSAE rule book, cross-referencing all frame geometries and critical dimensions to ensure full compliance. This step is essential moving forward, as it gives confidence that the frame will meet both performance and safety requirements while remaining rule compliant, allowing the rest of the vehicle to be developed around a solid foundation.

In addition, the team began initial FEA analysis for key load cases. These early simulations will guide design decisions related to weight optimization and torsional stiffness, helping balance structural performance with mass reduction as the design progresses.

The chassis team has continued to work closely with other subteams to ensure full system integration. With finalized battery dimensions, the rear structure was modified to accommodate