Adelaide University Motorsport unveil ADL25e ahead of Formula SAE

Adelaide University Motorsport Team (AUMT) marked a major milestone on Tuesday 25 November, hosting its 2025 Launch Night at the Sporting Car Club of South Australia. The event unveiled the ADL25e, the final car to compete under the University of Adelaide banner before the transition to Adelaide University in 2026.

The night celebrated not only the engineering achievement behind this year’s car, but the collective effort of a team of student engineers, business specialists, and project leads who have prepared the team for its next chapter.

Overseen by Chief Engineer Hamish Trehearne and a talented team of specialists, the 2025 vehicle represents a significant design overhaul with an estimated 60–70% of the car changing from 2024. Trehearne's team spent the first half of the year dedicated to CAD design work and ADL24e testing, followed by construction and a full testing schedule in recent months. A brand new carbon-fibre monocoque chassis replaces the steel chassis design that has been the basis of the car since AUMT's inception in 2001, and was crucial in meeting new weight requirements. The result is a car built for reliability, efficiency, and performance ahead of Formula SAE Australasia, held 11–14 December 2025 at Calder Park Raceway in Victoria.

Formula SAE challenges teams across both Static and Dynamic events. The Static component includes Business, Cost, and Design presentations, where students demonstrate their understanding of viability, manufacturing, and real-world engineering decision-making. The Dynamic events are the on-track tests of speed, handling, and endurance across Acceleration, Skidpad, Autocross, and Endurance. AUMT has a strong record in the latter, having won the Endurance event in 2024. A range of student drivers will pilot the ADL25e across the various Dynamic disciplines.

Electrical Leader Noah Lobbe highlighted the team’s continued push for refined systems and improved driver experience. "The monocoque is quite a big project. Some assemblies didn’t quite carry over from 2024, or weren’t simple enough to carry over," he said. Lobbe also revealed a major improvement to the cockpit interface. "Our last dash was from 2023, so we decided it was time for a redesign. Drivers told us that the LED bar graphs were a bit hard to read during Endurance, so we switched to alphanumeric LED digits, which is easy to read."

AUMT accessed an InSync Grant through their affiliation with Adelaide University Sport and Fitness, partially funding the new monocoque and redesigned dash. A dedicated group of sponsors from across the motorsport and engineering business sectors has further assisted with access to software, components, repairs and expertise, allowing the team to focus on membership engagement and retention in addition to the development of the car.

Business Manager Alicia Vale highlighted the team’s strong surge in engagement throughout 2025. AUMT reached 2,000 Instagram followers and recorded 265,000 total social media views - including 67,000 from non-followers - and a remarkable 100% content interaction rate, proving that the future is bright for the team ahead of their transition to Adelaide University.

All of these factors have resulted in strong optimism among AUMT. Team Leader Erin Pereira said "AUMT is in a position to be competitive for a top-five finish at competition." But she is also keen for 2026, noting that the merger with the UniSA Motorsport Team brings opportunity. "With twice as many people, we look forward to building a car that’s twice as fast," she says jokingly. "With continued support from both universities, we look ahead with excitement as we introduce the first generation of motorsport at Adelaide University."

As AUMT prepares for competition next month, the ADL25e stands as both a culmination of hard work and a launchpad, showcasing what student innovation looks like when talent, support, and dedication align.

Connect with AUMT ahead of Formula SAE on Instagram or via their website.