Celebrating its 20th anniversary in France, the Shell Eco-marathon had its second round of the year at Michelin's Technology Centre at Ladoux (Auvergne, France) and the manufacturer's high tech tyres were key to allow the Federal Polytechnical School of Zürich to improve the fuel optimisation record that the team had established one month earlier in Nogaro at the first round of this year's competition: the team's "PAC-car" (hydrogen-fueled vehicle) raised its record from 3,836 km/l to today's 5,385 km/l using Michelin's radial tyres.
For the purpose of measurement, the quantity of hydrogen used is converted through calculation in equivalent to 95 Octane led-free gasoline.
The Michelin Challenge: the prize goes to the Paul Sabatier/INSA Toulouse University
Despite their record result, the Swiss team was not the overall winner of this weekend's Michelin Challenge of the Shell Eco-marathon that took into consideration not only the lowest possible fuel consumption, but also the time used to perform. The cumulated number of points determined the final ranking and the overall winners were the French Paul Sabatier/INSA Toulouse university (1st), followed by the ESTACA technical university (2nd, also from France) and the Technical High School R. Stievenart of Hornu, Belgium (3rd).
These three teams, as all other competitors, were equipped with Michelin radial tyres, based on a technology that allows, in average, a 25% economy in fuel consumption compared to the conventional tyres.
The Danes, champions of the UrbanConcept group
In addition to the prototype group, the Shell Eco-marathon is also open to UrbanConcept vehicles, whose shape and constraints are inspired by those of small city cars. The Michelin Challenge for this category, based on the same rules as for the protoptype ones, was won by the Technical University of Denmark, followed by the University of Porto (Portugal).
The next round of the Shell Eco-marathon will take place in Rockingham, UK, on 6-7 July 2005, when the winners of this weekend's round will compete against several other teams for a potential new world record.
Media Contact: Mathilde Nithart + 33 (0) 1 57 60 64 74
Photos available on  www.cdp.fr (menu Shell Eco-marathon)
For further information: www.shell.com/eco-marathon
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