Formula EV Workshop Attendee Learns Tesla's Key Components to Competition Success

Posted: December 19, 2023

For young professionals preparing to enter the workforce, any opportunity to learn from innovative companies about developing technologies can change their futures. 

Pruthav Patel, a junior at the University of Maryland studying electrical engineering, gained valuable knowledge by attending the Formula SAE EV Workshop for the second year in a row. 

The Formula SAE EV Workshop, hosted by Tesla, gives students the opportunity to attend live technical sessions on popular EV topics, review the rules and regulations of the traditional FSAE Electric competition and connect with industry professionals. 

Pruthav and two of his FSAE team members traveled across the country earlier this year to the Tesla facility in Fremont, California.  

 “This was my second time attending the workshop. I really enjoyed the topics being discussed and the overall connection to the students and the competition,” Pruthav said. 

Over three days of the workshop, FSAE students participated in several sessions to prepare them for the upcoming competition season. The most impactful session Pruthav attended was related to battery cooling.  

“Tesla’s insight on battery cooling was really helpful. Our team wasn’t sure if we should or should not cool our battery and getting the information they provided on how to cool a battery and if we should was very helpful in making our design decision for this upcoming year,” Pruthav said. 

Students in attendance also had an abundance of networking opportunities with other students as well as the opportunity to connect with the Tesla employees who were involved in Formula SAE when they were in college. The event provided a unique perspective on how experiences in SAE University Programs can transform into a career. 

“It was really nice getting to talk to the other teams. We’re all working towards the same goal, so getting to share different challenges and ideas is very beneficial,” Pruthav said. 

Growing up never having a real interest in cars, Pruthav joined his university’s Formula SAE team because he felt he wasn’t getting that hands-on experience in the classroom. He wanted to take the theoretical knowledge from the classroom and apply it to real world scenarios. 

Pruthav credits the industry opportunities he’s received to his experience with Formula SAE. Pruthav will be joining Tesla as a Battery Electronics Intern this spring at their Palo Alto facility. 

“Going to competition, talking to the companies and recruiters and being able to get a job right out of competition is very cool,” Pruthav said. “It’s an opportunity that I don’t think any other organization can provide in the college realm.”