Unveiling of the Lakehead University TWR-15Formula-style race car
The Lakehead University Thunder Wolf Racing Team unveiled their TWR-15, the 2022-2023 car.The team have worked hard during the past the eight months to design and build before departing for the Michigan International Speedway.Thunder Wolf Racing is Lakehead University's Formula SAE team, comprised of 20 Mechanical Engineering students who design and manufacture a Formula-style race car.Each year the student-run team creates this car to compete at the Formula SAE Collegiate Design Series.This year the event will be held May 17-20, 2023, in Brooklyn, Michigan.
Matthew Manten, 4th year Mechanical Engineering student Lakehead University
“The car is completely redesigned each year, so we start with a chassis design. We welded the chassis ourselves- bent and cut every single tube, created a new aerodynamics package working with some of the Confederation College Aerospace students and the suspension is entirely new. The engine remains the same. It was almost a full time job for us along with attending school.”
“The engine is restricted so we will make 70 to 80 HP and the car can achieve about 100 km a hour.”
“ The competition looks at things like business, design and cost presentation, to design and build a car and run a business. Also there are things like acceleration and auto cross to test the performance of the vehicle.”
“One of our team students was offered a job at Tesla. My dream is to work in electric vehicle design. In September we travelled to the Tesla factory in California which was paid for by the SAE organization.”
The team have a new trailer to pull the car this year. Their budget was $30,000 which includes everything such as building the car, travel and lodging at the competition. To date they raised about $15,000 and the members made up the rest, paid for it themselves, which shows their dedication.
