The University of Toronto Chemical Vehicles (UTCV) team delivered an impressive performance at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Eckhardt Northeast Regional Conference, held April 17–18, 2026 at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Competing against 15 universities from across the region, the team earned a strong fifth-place finish in a highly competitive field.
The Chem-E-Car competition, organized by AIChE, is a multidisciplinary event that brings together undergraduate teams from around the world to design and build small vehicles powered entirely by chemical reactions. The primary objective is to precisely control these reactions so the car can travel a predetermined distance and stop as close to the target as possible. Rather than focusing on speed, success in the competition depends on accuracy.
In addition to vehicle performance, teams present academic posters highlighting their design process. These presentations cover not only the technical aspects of engineering the car, but also the safety, environmental and economic factors that play an essential role in the overall design.
This year, UTCV unveiled a bold new design: “Our team showcased our new Batmobile-inspired design, which used the traffic light clock reaction, a magnesium-copper battery and a completely redesigned chassis,” said John Hiscock, Co-President of UTCV. The innovative approach combined creative engineering with advanced chemical systems, reflecting months of dedicated design and testing.
Hiscock also highlighted a major shift in the team’s battery design. “Historically, the team has designed and constructed metal–air batteries due to their low cost and lightweight design,” he explained. These systems relied on activated carbon and carbon black powders to increase the porosity of the current collector, ensuring that oxygen from the atmosphere was available for the electrochemical reaction. However, he noted that “these powders require significant safety precautions, add complexity to the design and slow production and assembly.”
“This year, the team moved away from metal–air batteries and carbon powders, opting instead for a magnesium–copper battery as a suitable alternative,” Hiscock said. The new system is inherently safer, incorporates more reusable components, and does not rely on reactions with atmospheric oxygen, allowing the battery to last significantly longer. “Improved battery longevity enhances the reliability and precision of the vehicle,” he added, noting that reducing unpredictability in battery performance was a key goal for the team this year.
The 2026 design represents a significant evolution from previous years, incorporating enhanced safety features, greater reusability, a more advanced spectral sensor and a newly developed detection algorithm to increase precision and reliability during competition runs.
While the result does not guarantee automatic qualification for the international competition this fall, the team remains optimistic. “Although this means that we did not automatically qualify for the international competition in the fall (we can still apply for a waitlist spot), I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished,” Hiscock said.
Reflecting on the team’s progress, he added, “There are many aspects of this project to be proud of, but what stands out most is how much our team communication improved and how effectively our divisions worked together. Multidisciplinary collaboration is a critical skill in engineering, and this year we made significant progress in that area. Teams shared design requirements clearly and on time, which strengthened our overall dynamic and helped us tackle complex challenges successfully. As a result, we were able to streamline the design process and fully redesign the vehicle within just a few months between competitions.”
Faculty advisors also praised the team’s efforts and achievements. Chair and Professor Ramin Farnood highlighted the team’s innovation and perseverance throughout the design process. Professor Jennifer Farmer echoed this sentiment, noting, “The group challenged themselves with a new design and chemistry this year, and coming fifth at Regionals is a great accomplishment. We are very proud of all UTCV has accomplished this year!”
Looking ahead, Hiscock outlined several areas of focus for the team’s next competition cycle. “We’re aiming to improve the reusability of our batteries by increasing pack capacity and exploring rechargeability,” he said. In addition, the team is considering the implementation of a battery management system to monitor the health of individual cells, which would support troubleshooting efforts and help forecast battery degradation more accurately.
The team is also exploring new approaches to timing mechanisms. “One avenue we’re interested in is using oscillating, colour-changing clock reactions,” Hiscock explained, noting that their cyclical behaviour could be used to chemically track runtime and precisely stop the vehicle. He added that improving the method of mechanically injecting chemicals to initiate the clock reaction is another key priority moving forward.
The Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry congratulates UTCV on an outstanding showing and looks forward to their continued innovation and success in future competitions.
2025-2026 Leadership (Note: ChemE members denoted in blue)
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Technical: John Hiscock
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Operations: Mariam Itani
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Michael Chan
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Jean Jung
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Calton Louis Paul
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Khoi Duy “McQueen” Chung
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Wooram Jung
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Kevin Dai
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Matthew Gibson
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Gurjas Singh Chawla
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Tiago Ferreira
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Jerry Li
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Navid Ali Ahmadi
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David Li
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Tyson Zheng
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Laila Assy
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Vanessa Nguyen