About Us
Mission
The University of Toronto Chemical Vehicle (UTCV) is a student-led design team dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and hands-on learning by participating in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) ChemE-Car competition. Our team focuses on designing and building chemically-powered, small-scale vehicles that travel over a specific distance controlled using unique chemical reactions.
At the core of UTCV’s mission is to provide students with a multidisciplinary experience that goes beyond just Chemical Engineering. We bring together students from all engineering disciplines. This interdisciplinary collaboration allows our members to tackle complex challenges by integrating different fields of knowledge, from chemical kinetics and data analysis to circuit design and mechanical integration.
UTCV offers a unique platform for U of T Engineering students to work with peers from various disciplines, encouraging creative problem-solving and broadening their technical expertise. Our members gain valuable experience in research in the wet lab, data analysis, circuit design, 3-D printing, project management, and prototyping, giving them the skills needed to succeed in industry and research.
At UTCV, we believe that engineering is most impactful when it’s collaborative, and we are committed to providing our members with the opportunity to learn, innovate, and grow through interdisciplinary teamwork. Join us in creating the future of engineering and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible!
Our Divisions
Circuitry Division
The Circuitry Division focuses on building the circuit and designing algorithms for the vehicle. The division is responsible for building vihicle circuit to control the vehicle, monitoring reactions onboardvia sensors, developing algorithms to detect reaction endpoint and building reaction test bench. Members are trained to build skills to work with Arduinos, work with sensors, design basic circuit and conduct programming.
Mechanical Division
The Mechanical Division focuses on bridging the gap between mechanical and design concepts. The division is responsible for building the car chassis, car body, and a stationary testing bench for the finished car. The Mechanical team is also responsible for selecting and integrating a motor, designing gears, and creating containment for car components. The members are trained to build skills around 3D printing, CAD modelling, basic woodworking, and other hands-on skills.
Operations Division
The Operations Division is responsible for managing UTCV’s resources. The Division handles finances, event planning, marketing, sponsorship, outreach, and, most importantly, competition planning. The division is also in charge of lab safety, chemical inventory mangement and member safety training.
Power Division
The Power Division specializes in the applications of electrochemistry. The division is responsible for researching, designing, and building a battery from basic lab materials. It must be safe to handle, environmentally friendly and provide sufficient energy to power the car motor during the competition. Metal-air batteries are the current team’s focus.
Reactions Division
The Reactions Division focuses on applications of reaction kinetics and behaviour through in-lab research. The division is responsible for researching, designing, building, and testing reactions that can be used as a chemical timer that uses the physical or chemical properties of the reaction. Members of the division will be able to learn and apply their skills in lab operations, experiment design, reaction kinetics analysis, basic data analysis and basic coding.