Texas A&M's Formula SAE Electric team builds and races a new electric formula-style car from the ground up every year from scratch, competing against schools internationally to prove it. What started as a twenty-person project in 2021 has grown into one of the top programs on the national circuit. Here's the story, and how to meet the team in person.
What Is Formula SAE Electric?
Formula SAE Electric is a collegiate engineering competition where student teams design, build, and race their own electric formula-style cars. TAMU's team competes in two major events each year.
Michigan SAE Electric, held every June at Michigan International Speedway, is the team's main event. It opens with three days of technical inspection covering safety and rule compliance, followed by two days of dynamic events testing speed and endurance. Only 100 teams receive a spot internationally. Of those, roughly 70 finish a car and show up, and only about 30 pass inspection and make it to the dynamic events.
Texas Autocross, hosted by UTA in Arlington every fall, pits southern schools against each other over two days of solely racing with fewer inspections and looser rules. The field usually runs around 40 cars, some with decades of racing history behind them.
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The Team's Growth, Year by Year
2021: Twenty Members, One Goal
TAMU Formula SAE Electric was founded with twenty members and a plan to build their first competitive electric formula car from scratch.
2022 to 2023: Building the Roster
Membership grows to 60 by 2023, is on their 2nd car, and begins to become more selective as the team lays the groundwork for its first real competition results.
2024: The First Real Performance
Membership reached 85. At Michigan, the team passes every technical inspection for the first time in team history and completes the acceleration event, skid pad, and autocross, falling just short of finishing Endurance. At UTA, the team posts the fastest FSAE legal car on the track, beating the field by six seconds on a 50-second lap.
2025: A Setback and a Statement
Membership climbs to around 110. Michigan doesn't go as planned: the car fails to clear the rain test during technical inspection, keeping the team out of the dynamic events entirely. However, at UTA, the team answers back with the fastest car on the track out of every vehicle entered, electric or combustion, posting the best lap times both days.
2026: A Breakthrough Season
Membership grows to 155. At Michigan, the team passes every technical inspection and completes every dynamic event, finishing 12th overall, with the 4th fastest autocross lap and the 2nd fastest time among single inboard motor vehicles in the field. The team returns to UTA this October 17, looking to build on the momentum.
Looking Ahead
Recruiting is already underway for 2027, with a projected roster of 115 members carrying the program into its next season.
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Meet the Team at Aggieland Outfitters Fairview
From twenty founding members to a top-12 finish at one of the largest collegiate racing events in the world, TAMU Formula SAE Electric has built something real. See the 2025 and 2026 cars on display, shop the team's new hat and T-shirt collection with proceeds supporting the program, and meet the students behind it all on Saturday, October 24, from 10 AM to 5 PM at our Fairview location, 100 Fairview Avenue, College Station, TX 77840.
