The event showcased cutting-edge HCNG technology as student teams competed in endurance challenges, technical evaluations, and static events, highlighting advancements in sustainable mobility and practical applications of alternative fuels in automotive engineering.
12 Jan 2025 | 2469 Views | By Autocar Pro News Desk
BAJA SAEINDIA 2025, an annual competition for undergraduate engineering students to design and fabricate all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), entered its third and final phase. The day featured the endurance round for hBAJA buggies, a two-hour challenge testing performance, efficiency, and durability.
The event was inaugurated on January 9 by ...
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BAJA SAEINDIA 2025, an annual competition for undergraduate engineering students to design and fabricate all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), entered its third and final phase. The day featured the endurance round for hBAJA buggies, a two-hour challenge testing performance, efficiency, and durability.
The event was inaugurated on January 9 by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, who highlighted the significance of adopting alternative fuels and technologies for a sustainable future. This year’s theme, "Fusion 4 Future," focuses on four pillars: technology, diversity, sustainability, and connectivity, underscoring the commitment to innovative and sustainable mobility solutions.
The competition emphasized HCNG technology, which uses a blend of 5% hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG) to improve fuel efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower dependency on fossil fuels. This marks a significant step toward integrating sustainability with automotive engineering.
Dr. Kaleemuddin Syed, Convener of hBAJA SAEINDIA 2025 from Greaves Cotton, praised participants for their innovative efforts in designing and prototyping HCNG-powered buggies. He highlighted the importance of such events in fostering practical learning and technological advancement.
The initial stages of the competition involved rigorous technical checks, where teams underwent vehicle safety inspections, weight and engine evaluations, and brake tests. These checks ensured that all vehicles met safety and performance standards. Participants also demonstrated their theoretical and engineering knowledge in static events, including design evaluations, cost analysis, sales presentations, computer-aided engineering (CAE), sustainability, and innovation.
Nineteen teams registered for the hBAJA competition, with 18 actively participating. Out of these, 15 teams successfully passed technical inspections, and 10 cleared the brake test to qualify for the endurance round. The endurance event tested the vehicles’ speed, efficiency, and durability over two hours. The winning team completed 47 laps of a 1.4-kilometer track, covering approximately 65 kilometers and achieving an average mileage of 13 km/kg by refueling with 1 kg of HCNG about five times. By the end of the endurance round, seven teams were still operational.
While hBAJA teams competed in the endurance event, mBAJA teams prepared for their final competition scheduled for January 12, which includes dynamic events such as acceleration tests, maneuverability challenges, sled pulls, and suspension and traction tests.
The winners of several awards were also announced. In the Altair Simulation Award category, team Kshatriya from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, and team Aaryans from Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli, were recognized for their efforts in the mBAJA category. In the hBAJA category, team Tarusa motorsports from the School of Engineering, cusat, Cochin, secured the award.
The Sales Presentation Award winners included team gensonic from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, who won in the mBAJA category. team mechanizers 51.0 from Sreedhi Institute of Science and Technology, Hyderabad, and TEAM ASHWA RIDERS from St. Vincent Pallotti College of Engineering and Technology, Nagpur, were the first and second runners-up, respectively. In the hBAJA category, team rocketeer racing from Sri Sairam College of Engineering, Chennai, emerged as the winner.
For the Sustainability Award, team resonance india from AISSMS College of Engineering, Pune, secured first place in the mBAJA category. team zenith from MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women, Pune, and team sparkdhak from NIT Warangal took the runner-up spots. In the hBAJA category, TEAM AMIGOS from Vishnu Institute of Technology, Bhimavaram, won the award.
The Cost Award winners included team nashorns pccoe&r from Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering and Technology, Pune, who won in the mBAJA category. team ashwa riders from St. Vincent Pallotti College of Engineering and Technology, Nagpur, and team resonance racing from AISSMS College of Engineering, Pune, were runners-up. team tarusa from the School of Engineering, cusat, Cochin, secured the award in the hBAJA category.
baja saeindia 2025 continues to inspire innovation, foster collaboration, and promote sustainable automotive technologies, providing a platform for young engineers to demonstrate their skills and creativity.