BAJA SAE

Baja SAEĀ® consists of competitions that simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Engineering students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain. Each team's goal is to design and build a single-seat, all-terrain, sporting vehicle whose structure contains the driver. The vehicle is to be a prototype for a reliable, maintainable, ergonomic, and economic production vehicle which serves a recreational user market.

The object of the competition is to provide SAE student members with a challenging project that involves the design, planning and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market. Teams compete against one another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. Students must function as a team to not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle within the limits of the rules, but also to generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities.

All vehicles are powered by a ten-horsepower Intek Model 19 engine donated by Briggs & Stratton Corporation. For over fourty years, the generosity of Briggs & Stratton has enabled SAE to provide each team with a dependable engine free of charge. Use of the same engine by all the teams creates a more challenging engineering design test.

SERIES NEWSFEED

NEW Beyond the Competition Podcast Episode 
10/15/2026  Baja SAE Series

Join us for an in depth conversation about EV Batteries

Want to be apart of the Ohio highlight video? 
10/14/2026  Baja SAE Ohio

Submit GoPro footage to be on the Ohio highlights

New Waitlist Promotions! 
10/9/2026  Baja SAE Series

More spots have been opened for Baja AZ and Baja Williamsport.

LAST DAY! 
10/9/2026  Baja SAE Series

Don't miss your only chance!

Live Q&A on 11/12 on the 2027 Rule Changes: Submit Your Questions Now 
10/9/2026  Baja SAE Series

Baja SAE teams, we're hosting a live Q&A session to walk through the 2027 rule changes and answer your questions as you prepare for the new season.