The University of Cincinnati has a student-run formula electric racing team
Bearcat Electric Vehicle was founded in 2020
The University of Cincinnati has a longstanding presence in the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers competition.
For several decades, UC students have built Formula and BAJA style cars to race and compete against schools nationwide at various competitions. However, with the emergence and growth in popularity of electric cars, one student set out to make UC's very first electric vehicle team.
Bearcat Electric Vehicle was founded by UC alumnus Sagar Tiwari during his time as a student. In the 2019-20 academic year, Tiwari recruited members and created the university's first all-electric formula racing team.
Students of any major are welcome to join Bearcat Electric Vehicle. Many engineering students use this as their senior design project. Photo/provided
In the team's first year, it was comprised of Tiwari and a handful of first-year and underclass students. Mohammad Bilal Syed, current team lead for Bearcat Electric Vehicle and fifth-year mechanical engineering technology student, has been involved with the group since its origin.
"I was there for a good portion of it," Syed said. "During the 2020 school year, Sagar Tiwari, who now works at Tesla, pointed out that the market was shifting towards electric vehicles and wondered how UC would do building electric cars."
From there, Tiwari proposed the idea to the auto design professor, got approval to begin, and the group was born. The initial team, led by Tiwari, set out to make a "proof of concept" car, that current Bearcat Electric Vehicle members refer to as EV zero.
EV zero was made of a culmination of hand-me-down parts from previous internal combustion engine cars. The frame for EV zero was the 2018 internal combustion engine frame and the cooling system also came from the 2018 car.
Students design, build and race an electric vehicle through BEV. Photo/provided
When the team began working on EV zero, they didn't realize the magnitude of differences between designing an building electric and gas-powered vehicles. It was more than simply converting the power train from internal combustion to electric. There was much more to it, especially if they wanted to participate in the EV competition.
"We didn't realize how safety intense the rules for the electric vehicle competition are compared to the ICE competition," Syed said.
For instance, a fire from a gas-powered engine is much easier to extinguish than a battery fire in an electric vehicle. Additionally, the printed circuit boards and safety systems needed for an electric vehicle are almost always custom made, posing a challenge to the team's time and funding. The 2020 competition was cancelled due to the pandemic, and the restrictions and additional modifications needed to the frame barred BEV from competing in the 2021 competition.
Tiwari graduated in the spring of 2021, leaving BEV in the hands of his former team, who were determined to get UC to competition.
Through all of our classes, through the weekends, through our jobs, we were all coming in and out to build this car.
Mohammad Bilal Syed Bearcat Electric Vehicle
The car is designed in CAD before the building process begins. Photo/provided
"We did two years of observation before we got to compete. After 2021, we realized that EV zero wasn't going to work, so we needed to start with a fresh frame," Syed said. "The 2022 season was the start of EV1."
During the 2022 season, the EV team wasn't yet an official part of the College of Engineering and Applied Science auto design course, so a project meant to be led by seniors for their final capstone was instead led by a group of interested underclass students.
"Through all of our classes, through the weekends, through jobs, we were all coming in and out and working in a small maintenance shed to build this car," Syed said.
The team worked tirelessly to design and assemble the car, but by the time competition came around, it wasn't ready to be driven. However, the team was able to go to competition, observe what it was like to go through technical inspection, and participate in portions of the design competition. Syed, along with other members of the team who were there, showed the judges renderings of their car in CAD and explained their design process.
"The important thing about the design competition that year was getting feedback. The whole reason we were there was to learn how to get better," Syed said.
After hard work and dedication, the BEV team was finally able to get the car to drive. Photo/provided
In 2023, the current team members spoke to professors within the college and electric vehicle was officially implemented as part of the auto design course for engineering and other students. While the majority of the team are engineering students, students from other disciplines are welcome to join and participate. For example, business and design students are advantageous to the team for those respective portions of the competition as well as the overall success of the team.
Since BEV was allocated more resources and manpower after being officially added to the course, the team was able to complete EV1
"On the last day of classes for spring semester in 2023, EV1 drove for the first time, and it was amazing," Syed said. "I finished my final exam and bolted to the testing area, and we drove it around in front of Mantei Center for the first time."
At the 2023 competition, BEV earned three of the six required tech stickers to drive in the competition. Photo/provided
After years, months and final weeks and days of hard work, Bearcat Electric Vehicle was going to competition. The competition is several days long and includes design, business, and cost analysis events. Additionally, to get the car on the track for the endurance event, it has to pass technical inspection.
Many teams do not pass tech, including UC's team that year. However, through borrowed materials and guidance from their judges and all-nighters, BEV earned three of the six required tech stickers.
"One requirement is that the 95th percentile male has to fit within the car and have two inches of space between the top of the car for safety," Syed said. "This was the last thing holding us back. Another school gave us leftover tubing, and the University of Wisconsin helped us by lending their welding machine, and we barely passed."
Since the team did not pass the rest of tech inspection within the time, they were unable to compete in the main endurance portion of the competition.
"The 2023 competition was a good experience. We learned so much because we actually went through the process of mechanical and electrical tech inspections," Syed said.
The team's primary goal this year is to pass tech and compete in all events for the 2024 competition, potentially securing them a high finishing place amongst national and international teams.
Featured image at top: UC Bearcat Electric Vehicle team with EV1 at the 2023 competition. Photo/provided
Interested in joining?
Bearcat Electric Vehicle is looking for new members from all disciplines. Get involved.
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