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Precision Over Speed: The Chem-E Car Challenge

Most automobile races are about speed, but AIChE’s student Chem-E Car competition is all about precision. Instead of racing to be first across the finish line, teams must design vehicles that start and stop as close as possible to a designated target distance—powered entirely by chemical reactions.

This past spring, CSULB’s team not only hosted the Western Regional Conference but also took home first prize in both the performance race and the poster presentation categories.

Behind the Scenes of Hosting a Regional Conference

Organizing the conference was a massive undertaking, with nearly 300 attendees and more than 50 volunteers. Assisted by event planner and organizer Tania Aviles (a recent chemical engineering grad), students gained experience in event planning and orchestration. Featured activities included the Chem-E Car performance race; poster and jeopardy contests; and an awards banquet.

“My main role was primarily supporting the students throughout the planning process,” said Student Life and Development director and AIChE mentor, Paola Plascencia. “The student team showed exceptional dedication, navigating university protocols, coordinating logistics, and demonstrating professionalism at every stage.”

Engineering Collaboration in Action

Each year, CSULB’s AIChE chapter forms interdisciplinary teams of mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering students. Teams are divided into subgroups focusing on propulsion, stopping mechanisms, and electromechanical systems.

“Preparation was crucial in our success this year,” said Jesus Pacheco, ������ƵAIChE student chapter president. Working with Professor and club advisor Ji-Hwan Kang, the teams built two cars using custom propulsion and stopping systems. The first team, let by captain Andrew Rostron and his team “Prism-Mobile,” created a car using an aluminum-air battery for the propulsion mechanism and an iodine clock reaction for stopping the vehicle. Team Sharkus Electrus, let by team captain Adrian Zenteno, employed a thermoelectric propulsion system and used the potassium permanganate “chameleon reaction” to trigger the breaking. 

The target distance was 19.8 meters—Sharkus Electrus stopped within just 2.52 meters of the mark.

Eyes on Nationals

The Sharkus Electrus team is now preparing for the national competition in Boston this November. “We are lucky to have a well-balanced group of seniors and freshmen, which ensures continuity for future competitions,” said Pacheco.

In addition to their performance win, the team—led by captain Adrian Zenteno—took first place in the Poster Presentation category. Their detailed and visually engaging display impressed judges with both technical depth and clarity.

A Brief History of the Chem-E Car Competition

The Chem-E Car concept began in the late 1990s, evolving from AIChE’s previous plastics recycling challenges. In 1998, Washington State University students built a small chemically powered car that inspired the official competition’s launch in 1999.

Students are challenged to create autonomous vehicles no larger than a shoe box that are fueled to carry a variable load over a variable distance, powered by a precisely controlled chemical reaction. The goal is to pilot the cars and make them stop as close as possible to a target distance announced just prior to the competition.

Today, teams from around the world compete in regional events, aiming for a spot at nationals. The U.S. Western Region includes powerhouse schools such as Stanford, Caltech, and UC Berkeley. Corporate sponsors like General Mills and Chevron often support the events.

Looking Ahead

On November 2–3 all eyes will be on CSULB’s Sharkus Electrus team, led by captain Jason Aguilar, as they take on elite teams from across the globe. With momentum from their regional sweep, they’re ready to put their precision engineering to the ultimate test.

Go Beach!