Small cars powered by Big chemistry.
CU Boulder's Chem-E-Car team designs, builds, and races a shoe-box-sized car powered entirely by a chemical reaction — no batteries, no motors off the shelf. Every year, a new team of undergrads engineers the reaction, the stopping mechanism, and the chassis from scratch.
What We do
An hour before competition, teams learn the exact distance the car must travel and from that must tweak there cars reaction to land as close as possible
Build the Car
We design and the chemical reaction that powers the car — galvanic cells, fuel cells, or pressure-driven systems, tuned for controllable output.
Stop It On Target
A second characterized reaction is tuned to trigger the car to stop within a few centimeters of the assigned distance.
Present the Car
Chassis, wiring, and a full safety and design poster, presented and defended in front of competition judges for a placement.
Want to join? Start here.
Despite the name no chemical engineering degree is required to join. Just a willingness to learn, build, and try new things!