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History of Shell Eco-marathon
In 1833 Marcus Samuel, a young shopkeeper in London's East End, decided to expand his merchandise to include oriental shells and created the foundation for a business that would be at the very heart of the oil industry. 106 years later, Shell Eco-marathon was born.
The Shell Eco-marathon began in 1939 at a Shell research laboratory in the United States as a friendly wager between scientists to see who could get the most miles per gallon from their vehicles.
From these humble origins, the organized competition for fuel economy evolved and moved to Europe.
In its current form Shell Eco-marathon Europe began in 1985 in France, attracting thousands of young engineers and scientists from 20 European countries.
This year we celebrate its 26th edition, proof of the enduring power of the challenge to engage and attract students from far and wide. We foresee many further successful editions of the Shell Eco-marathon Europe as well as Americas over the coming years and look forward to the launch of Shell Eco-marathon Asia.
