First-ever partnership between 704 Shop and UNC Charlotte’s 49ers Racing
Limited-edition gear celebrates the University’s first all-electric race car team
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2025
Charlotte’s first all-electric race car team is being celebrated with limited-edition gear. Charlotte-based lifestyle brand 704 Shop and UNC Charlotte’s 49ers Racing Electric Vehicle (EV) Team have collaborated in a first-ever partnership between the two groups: a custom-designed t-shirt that serves as a city-wide spotlight, shining local pride on student engineering. The racing-focused apparel is sold as a fundraiser for the student team, with $7.04 from each sale directly supporting the 49ers Racing EV program.
“This partnership is about more than just gear. We’re focused on the future of clean mobility in motorsports and its role in our city of Charlotte,” said Matthew Shaffer, captain of the 49ers Racing EV Team. “With 704 Shop’s help, we want to highlight what we’re engineering here on campus, which is proudly in the heart of America’s home for racing. And along the way, we hope to raise some money for our June competition in Michigan.”
The 49ers Racing EV Team, UNC Charlotte students mostly in the William States Lee College of Engineering, made history in 2025 by building and competing with the University’s first functional electric race car, a student-designed and student-built vehicle that’s gaining recognition at national SAE events. The limited edition t-shirt, designed in collaboration with 704 Shop, features premium streetwear-inspired racing graphics that celebrate engineering, speed and Charlotte pride.
“As proud Charlotte alums and long-time supporters of innovation in the city, partnering with the 49ers Racing EV team just made sense,” said Christopher Moxley, cofounder of 704 Shop. “These students are pushing boundaries and putting Charlotte on the map in a new and exciting way. We’re honored to support them.”
The t-shirt officially launches on September 26 and will be available exclusively online at 704shop.com/collections/unc-charlotte.
Hear from the students and learn more about their work and the collaboration:
About 49ers Racing EV
The 49ers Racing EV team is a student-run organization at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The team designs, manufactures and tests a fully electric formula-style race car each year in anticipation of the annual Formula Society of Automotive Engineers competition at the Michigan International Speedway. Charlotte’s strong motorsports industry partnerships serve as the foundation for the student team, which is based in the Alan Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory on the Charlotte campus.
About 704 Shop
Founded in 2013, 704 Shop is Charlotte’s original lifestyle and apparel brand, fusing contemporary streetwear design with hometown pride. Our superpower is creating custom apparel that brings people together. We are designers and researchers who passionately believe that brands should have thoughtfully designed apparel that makes an impact and better connects customers, employees and communities. Through strategic partnerships and an emphasis on quality, we are redefining what it means to support local and cultivate community.
