Team History

The roots of Bulldogs Racing extend back to 2006, when Yale College seniors designed and constructed a car in the scope of a mechanical engineering design seminar to compete in the inaugural Formula SAE Hybrid Competition. The team evolved into a Yale Undergraduate Organization in 2008 to become Bulldogs Racing. Since then, we have grown by leaps and bounds to become a world-renowned college racing team.

In 2010, our car won the GM Best Engineered Hybrid Systems Award (2nd place) and was a finalist in the design competition. Diligent development and careful work over the course of three years saw Bulldogs Racing field BR13. At the 2013 Formula SAE Hybrid competition, Bulldogs Racing became the international champions, posting the fastest times in all dynamic events and sweeping the Ford Most Efficient Hybrid Award (1st place), the Chrysler Innovation Award (1st place), and the GM Best Engineered Hybrid System Award (2nd place).

After a 4th place finish in Formula SAE Hybrid 2014 with BR14, Bulldogs Racing decided to focus its attention and resources on electric drivetrains to further explore, experiment on and learn about the future of the automotive industry. Consequently, the team embarked on a project to build an new all-electric race car, the BR16, which aimed to be the first all-electric vehicle built at Yale University. However, just prior to race day in 2016, the car experienced a battery box failure that forced a complete re-evaluation and redesign of the car. After several additional years in development, the team recently unveiled a completely rebuilt all-electric vehicle, the BR20. Despite a curtailed race calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team performed well in static events at the 2020 Formula SAE Hybrid competition to win 3rd place, regaining its spot on the podium after a lengthy hiatus.

Our Current Goals

Bulldogs Racing strives to be a venue for innovation and inspiration in engineering and business management. By pushing our members out of their comfort zones, providing the resources for creative problem solving, and expecting excellence at every step, Bulldogs Racing continues to lead the competition. This year we are continuing work on building our all-electric race car, BR20, to learn more about the cutting edge electric drivetrain technology that is propelling the automotive industry further.

• Though racing and competition drive the organization forward, education lies at the core of Bulldogs Racing. We aim to:
• Develop transferable critical thinking, problem solving, team work and leadership skills by tackling real-world problems in the scope of engineering and business management
• Prepare for careers in a wide variety of fields thanks to the diverse and challenging nature of the demands of designing a race car and managing a team
• Gain proficiency with CAE software, machine shop tools, electronic systems design, programming, composites, proper safety practices and business administration
• Represent Yale University, the Yale University School of Engineering and Applied Science and our sponsors as an ambassador for excellence in education, engineering and business.