The final chapter

The big winners of the event are once again the Luk Jao Mae Khlong Prapa team of Thailand’s Dhurakij Pundit University who broke their own track record from last year to achieve 2,903 km in their Prototype Ethanol car. “We are delighted to beat our record,” says Team Manager Panusit Kampantong. “But we are really worried that this will be hard to improve on for next year."

Meanwhile, the leading overall UrbanConcept team this year was Cikal Cakrasvarna from Institut Teknologi Bandung in Indonesia, who achieved 196 km/l in their gasoline vehicle.

Talking to organisers, students, ambassadors and the off-track awards judges gave us a strong feeling that this event is bigger than just these four days.

Exchanging experiences

First timers team UITM Eco-Apprentice from Malaysia, for example, nearly didn’t make it on to the track at all, as, despite their very best efforts, they couldn’t get their hydraulic brake system to work. They were rescued from exclusion from the competition by the Chinese Econopower team (31) from Tsinghua Bauhinia.

The Econopower team suggested UITM switch over to their own, simpler cable brake system and not only donated their spare brakes, cables and wheels, but also came over and installed the entire system for them. Both teams then made it through their technical inspection, but UITM’s team manager Mohd Tarmizi Bin Ismail knows why: “We would never have been able to race without their help,” he says. “We are very, very grateful!”

For Econopower’s team manager, Xu Chang, this event was his first visit to another country to meet people from different backgrounds. He’s happy to have helped UITM and said simply that: “We were happy to help, and now feel part of their success.”

Better design and innovation

“I’m happy to see better quality design this year, as well the teams being much better informed about how to pass their technical inspection,” said the Shell Eco-marathon Asia Technical Lead Colin Chin Mun Hau. “But most of all, I would like to encourage the spirit of kindness and collaboration I have seen. Students can learn a lot from each other and it’s wonderful to see them do this.”

Off-track award judge Liu Xiaowei was also very enthusiastic about the progress she has seen in how the teams market and fund themselves. “It’s not just social media and websites anymore – some of these teams have been really innovative in a way we haven’t seen in previous years at this event!” she enthuses. “We have seen teams partner with NGOs and media, showcase their cars at local events and clean technology expos, sell team T-shirts and caps for profit, and even secure TV and radio interviews.”

A number of teams have also built awareness of the Shell Eco-marathon by visiting local high schools in their region with their cars, to tell students about what they are doing.

“It’s exciting to see the passion for spreading these ideas to younger generations,” says Liu Xiaowei. “It shows much broader thinking about the future energy challenge, and real engagement around finding tomorrow’s mobility solutions.”