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Day two wrap-up
In the first round of the Prototype competition dozens of cars competed, with last year’s winners reaching the equivalent of 2,820 kilometres on a single litre of fuel. Many of the 40,000 visitors registered were on site today, and spectators cheered on students from the circuit’s edge.
Aurélien Levesque stands in overalls next to the white shell of his car, among the noise and smoke from revving engines. Weighing just 51 kg he is the Microjoule driver. Last year he achieved 3,688km/l (8,675mpg). This year he is nervous: “The track is much, much harder”, he says. “With the bumpy surface and wind my strategy will be to use lots of throttle.” Today he achieved the equivalent of 2,820 km/l.
28 competitions later
At the start line Shell Netherlands Country Chair Dick Benschop and Maurice Auschitzky, organiser of the first Shell Eco-marathon in 1985, opened the competition. “The students’ passion is impressive,” says Dick. “We want to interest them in technology for the future.”
The first car off the mark was the Ecötoff 2 from Luxembourg, fuelled by petrol. Their record, set last year, is 667km/l. On their first round here they achieved the equivalent of 449 km/l “My strategy? To not crash and to cross the finish line!” says their driver.
Tips to take home
The cars drew the crowds. Among them was Niels Buikstra, who lives in Rotterdam and is a former competitor. “I still follow the event – once you get into the Shell Eco-marathon spirit it’s hard to get out.”
Team LTAM on the track at Shell Eco-marathon Europe
Visitors swarmed over the inspiration lab, eager to taste ice-cream cooled by nitrogen, race in simulators and dance on the kinetic disco floor. “I have come to the lab to collect energy-saving tips and educate my children,” says Monique Swarts.
Get real
Tomorrow the UrbanConcept cars will compete on the circuit. This category was introduced in 2003 and is becoming ever more popular. “Our ambition is to help define future mobility concepts so we must give the public a car they’d want to drive,” Norman Koch, Global Technical Director. “These include seats, steering wheels and a luggage space.”
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