The Philippines’ Mapua University earned a prestigious Technical Innovation Award at the recent Shell Eco-marathon Asia-Pacific and the Middle East 2024 held recently at the Mandalika International Circuit, Lombok, Indonesia.
The Shell Eco-Marathon is competition for students to create ultra-energy efficient vehicles, which they design and build themselves. There are two vehicle categories: Prototype and Urban Concept. The Prototype class focuses on ultra-efficient, lightweight designs, typically with three wheels, aiming to reduce resistance and maximize efficiency. The Urban Concept class emphasizes energy efficiency in conventional four-wheeled vehicle designs, closer to passenger cars in appearance, and designed to road-worthy specifications. Participants can choose from one of three energy categories: battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and internal combustion engine (gasoline, ethanol, and/or diesel).
To compete in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia-Pacific and the Middle East 2024, teams must meet a set of technical and safety rules to qualify for the competition. Qualifying teams then compete in one of the two-vehicle class categories to determine which vehicle can cover the longest distance with the least amount of fuel.
Seven Filipino student teams entered this year’s Shell Eco-Marathon, hailing from Jose Rizal University (JRU), Mapua University, De La Salle University (DLSU), University of Mindanao (UM), Adamson University, Xavier University, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Team Cardinal One of Mapua University showcased exceptional performance, earning them the prestigious Technical Innovation Award. This accolade recognizes the team's ability to integrate advanced technologies into their vehicle design, illustrating their high level of technical proficiency and creative ingenuity.
Despite not advancing to the final stages, XU Mekan-Eco from Xavier University and Hygears from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines were able to demonstrate their STEM skills. These teams embraced the invaluable opportunity to compete on the global stage, highlighting the importance of the learning process and embodying the spirit of collaboration and perseverance in STEM fields.
In addition to on-track performance, off-track awards recognized teams for their skills and achievements outside of their track performance. Categories included safety, carbon footprint reduction, and the Spirit of Shell Eco-marathon award, celebrating students who use their skills to contribute to the greater good of others.
Norman Koch, Global General Manager of Shell Eco-marathon, commended the participants, stating, "It is truly impressive to see the high standards of performance and innovative ideas generated by these young thinkers, the changemakers of tomorrow. Despite facing various challenges throughout the competition, they remained resilient and achieved remarkable results in designing energy-efficient vehicles."
The Shell Eco-marathon Asia-Pacific and the Middle East 2024 was a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of students from across the region, pushing the boundaries of what is technically possible in the realm of energy efficiency. The event will be hosted in Doha, Qatar, next year.