Design And Analysis of a High-Performance Powertrain for a Sae Baja Racing Off-Road Vehicle

– This paper presents the comprehensive design and analysis of a high-performance powertrain for an SAE Baja off-road vehicle powered by a 300cc, 10 horsepower engine. It focuses on the integration and performance of a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), emphasizing its role in delivering maximum torque and efficiency under varied terrain. Key contributions include detailed component selection, solid modeling using SolidWorks, and simulation via ANSYS for structural integrity and fatigue life estimation. The results show that a CVT combined with an optimized fixed gear ratio can achieve the torque multiplication needed for competitive acceleration and hill climb capabilities. Material selection using DFMA principles and fatigue-safe design ensures durability and compliance with SAE standards. The study concludes with a performance comparison against historical Baja benchmarks and proposes future enhancements including the use of electronic CVTs and AI-based tuning.