Balloon Car was a three-year mechanical design project focused on pushing as much distance as possible from one balloon. Each year used the previous competition result as a design baseline, with changes to the body shape, wheel spacing, drivetrain friction, chassis mass, and air delivery path.

The final version used CFD-guided aerodynamic shaping, a lightweight 3D-printed chassis, and a custom low-friction drivetrain to preserve the balloon's stored energy. The car reached 40 ft+ and placed first at Western Science Olympics in 2025, after placing second in 2023 and third in 2024.

Maximizing range in a balloon-powered car requires optimizing aerodynamics, gearing, rolling resistance, and energy transfer from a single balloon.

• CFD-guided body shaping across three design iterations
• Custom low-friction drivetrain to preserve balloon energy
• Lightweight 3D-printed chassis balancing rigidity and mass

Achieved first place at Western Science Olympics and a 40 ft+ run, described as Canada's longest distance balloon-powered car.