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The aim of the Shell Eco-marathon is to inspire young designers and engineers from around the world to develop new approaches of sustainable mobility.

It is a major educational project, in which students work together to explore potential solutions to both current and future transport and energy challenges.

The objective is threefold:

• to encourage and foster innovation and ideas about fuel-efficiency and the future of modern transport
• to help technical institutions to secure talent for their professional technical courses
• to promote technical careers among young people all over the world

Shell is committed to using its understanding of energy to help tackle the issues surrounding efficient energy use and environmental concerns linked to fossil fuel use, alternative energies and current patterns of consumption.

Quote from Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer:

The principle of the Shell Eco-marathon is simple: to design and build the world’s most fuel-efficient vehicle - and produce the fewest emissions.

Teams can enter two main categories:

• futuristic prototypes - which are streamlined vehicles where the primary design consideration is reducing drag and maximising efficiency
• UrbanConcept vehicles - which are built to more conventional 4-wheel roadworthy criteria.

Either conventional fuels (such as diesel, petrol and LPG), or alternative fuels (such as solar, electric, hydrogen, bio-fuels and GTL) can be used to power vehicles.

The goal of the project is not to break speed records or be the first to finish; it is to consume as little fuel as possible over a set distance.

The current European Shell Eco-marathon record for a fuel-efficient combustion engine prototype was set in 2004 by the team from Lycée La Joliverie (France) at 3,410 km on the equivalent of a single litre of fuel.

For prototype vehicles using fuel cells, the record is even more impressive. In 2005, the hydrogen-powered vehicle built by Swiss team ETH Zurich achieved 3,836 km on the equivalent of a single litre of fuel.

Either conventional fuels (such as diesel, petrol and LPG), or alternative fuels (such as solar, electric, hydrogen ,and bio-fuels and GTL) can be used to power vehicles.

The goal of the project is not to break speed records or be the first to finish; it is to consume as little fuel as possible over a set distance.

The current European Shell Eco-marathon record for a fuel-efficient combustion engine prototype was set in 2004 by the team from Lycée La Joliverie (France) at 3,410 km on the equivalent of a single litre of fuel.

For prototype vehicles using fuel cells, the record is even more impressive. In 2005, the hydrogen-powered vehicle built by Swiss team ETH Zurich achieved 3,836 km on the equivalent of a single litre of fuel.

In 2007 the Dutch team from De Haagse Hogeschool took first prize in the "hydrogen fuel cell" category of the UrbanConcept competition, clocking up 557 km on the equivalent of one single litre of fuel.

The DTU Roadrunners from the Technical University of Denmark won the Climate Friendly Award[1]with a record low CO2 emission of 9g/km, breaking last year’s record of 15g/km, in addition winning the “internal combustion engines” category of the UrbanConcept competition.

Over the past years, the Shell Eco-marathon has grown into a truly international event with events being held both in Europe as well as in the Americas.

Previous years, SEM events took place in UK, Belgium, Finland and Germany.

In 2008, European teams will meet at the Nogaro Racing Circuit in Southwest France from 22 to 24 May 2008.

To guarantee maximum safety, efficiency, safe working and living conditions both on and off the circuit, while ensuring and as much diversity as possible in terms of competing countries, education institutions, fuel categories and engine types, Shell decided to limit the number of vehicles participating in this year's edition to 200.

The UrbanConcept category is specifically designed to focus young minds on the important issues of real-world fuel-efficiency and its impact on our climate.

In 2003, Shell created the special UrbanConcept category for vehicles similar to traditional automobiles and capable of on-road use. Each UrbanConcept car must have four wheels, a steering wheel, head and tail lights, a driver’s seat, a brake pedal, doors, etc.

We are very pleased to see that since the introduction of the UrbanConcept category in the Shell Eco-marathon, this category has become more and more popular and that an increasing number of UrbanConcept vehicles take part in this quest for fuel efficiency. We want to offer this category every opportunity to further develop not only because of its immense innovation potential but also due to the fact that UrbanConcept vehicles are more closely 'related' to the current commercial vehicles compared to Prototypes.

As in the 2007 edition, a special race for UrbanConcept vehicles (approx 60) will again be held during this year's Shell Eco-marathon, separate from the other prototype entries, to help focus on their achievements and to improve on-track safety.

Shell believes that the development of alternative energy sources is critical to the future of transport and the global energy industry.

In 2003 alternative energy sources were introduced to the Shell Eco-marathon, opening up new environmental perspectives for this unique competition.

The term "alternative energy" includes all non-fossil energy sources like hydrogen, solar energy and fuels derived from biomass.

Finding and managing the necessary budget is one of the project’s key challenges for the teams.

Just as in the real business world, the students need to find financial support or technical partnerships with third parties to make the project work. In return, the logos of these companies or associations are promoted on the final vehicles.

Shell doesn’t support the teams financially in a direct way, but it does try to support in background.

Indeed, Shell covers basic travel costs to the event, communications materials (posters, folders, press book, DVD, etc.) and the opportunity to obtain key materials at cost prices (financed in part by Shell or partners of the Shell Eco-marathon), for instance, tyres, injectors, rolling-balls and flow meters. The organisation also offers some facilities on site such as for example free camping and catering at low prices.

In the Americas, Shell has made available a small subsidy to help teams as they are participating for the first time and only have a short period to prepare for the final event.

 The Shell Eco-marathon is a trail-blazing educational project - unique in concept and rich in practical experience.

It integrates practical development and a competitive challenge with the values behind sustainable development, respect for a diversity of individuals, energy control and environmental protection.

The teams work all year round on a real technical project, with the obligation to produce demonstrable results at the final event. Vehicle design and construction are integrated into the school curriculum, often involving several academic disciplines.

These include: drafting, technology, engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, Computer-aided design (CAD), management, marketing, communications and languages amongst others.

The Shell Eco-marathon has a long and proud history of ground-breaking attempts to improve fuel-efficiency.

The Shell Eco-marathon concept originally came from a Shell Group laboratory in the US at the end of the 1930’s. The idea was to organise a competition among engineers who brought together technological prowess with reasoned, responsible driving behaviour. In this competition, road-going vehicles achieved fuel efficiency of only around six litres per 100 km.

The Shell Eco-marathon promotes excellence and innovation beyond the school environment.

A few practical examples of technological innovations developed in previous years by the teams are:

• a prototype equipped with a fuel cell and a system to recover energy from braking.
• a diesel engine equipped with a temperature control system.
• an LPG engine that was made non-flammable by the use of insulation material.
• a 100% efficient Hydrogen fuel cell technique patented by a Danish team in 2006.

An increasing number of industrial partners join Shell at the event to help stimulate research and innovation by sharing their expertise :

Michelin’s specially developed tyres for the event. These are even more fuel-efficient than its own ‘green tyre, which has already sold over 500 million units worldwide.

Bosch provides teams with miniature fuel injectors and SKF supplies ball bearings.

Of course, most of the vehicles designed today for the Shell Eco-marathon will not provide any "ready-made" solutions to mobility issues and will probably remain at the prototype stage. However, the research conducted for this race has already led to the discovery of new techniques, which have become - or could become - industrial applications in the future.

Even if there are some monetary prizes to winning a Shell Eco-marathon prize, the real value comes in recognition of the achievements of the winning teams.

The Grand Prix - awarded to the Prototype or UrbanConcept vehicle with the best fuel economy figure, regardless of engine type; combustion engine or fuel cells.

In each of the 2 educational establishment categories (either Schools or Post-Secondary schools & Colleges, Universities & Engineering Schools) the best team receives an award, regardless of the energy source used.

For each energy class (Gasoline / Diesel / Alternative Gasoline / Alternative Diesel / solar energy etc) there is an award for the first place and a trophy for both Prototypes and UrbanConcept vehicles.

UrbanConcept category – awards are given to the best teams for both combustion engine and fuel cells.

The Climate-Friendly Grand Prize – introduced in 2005 – for the team that produces the least CO2 equivalent emissions (solar vehicles are ineligible). This award is given to both the Prototype and UrbanConcept categories.

In previous years, the Shell Eco-marathon indeed received the support and endorsement from different representatives of the European Commission.

For example, the 2007 edition had the full patronage of the European Union Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik.

Now that the Shell Eco-marathon is well established in Europe, and launched in the Americas, the rest of the world needs to look out for an expanding Shell Eco-marathon!