Gopher Motorsports

The Powertrain Subteam is responsible for the power unit of the car, as well as transmitting that power to the ground. Our primary focus is to developing custom/modifying existing parts to produce a reliable, predictable, and high output power unit for both vehicles. For the IC, we modify the motorcycle engine we use, and on the EV the mechanical design of the accumulator and motor output. On the Powetrain Team you will find that we are composed of small groups that work on individual subsystems. New members can expect to work in one or more of these groups, led by an upperclassman.

While designing an entire engine is an option, most teams opt to use an existing manufacturer's engine. This usually comes out of a motorcycle and is not optimized for use in a Formula SAE car. Our primary focus is to change that by developing custom/modifying existing parts to produce a reliable, predictable, and high output power unit. These include: Intake/exhaust, fuel/oil, driveline, tuning/internals, and cooling. New members can expect to work in one or more of these groups, led by an upperclassman.