Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2014 Welcomes Over 100 Student Teams To Manila

Students from all across Asia and the Middle East arrived in Manila yesterday to tackle a street circuit in the heart of Manila, Philippines, with the fuel efficient vehicles they designed and built. The over 100 student teams are here to compete in the fifth edition of Shell’s annual Shell Eco-marathon Asia. This will be the first year Shell Eco-marathon Asia takes place in Manila, having previously been held at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The new urban setting is designed to test the boundaries of fuel efficiency in a real world environment. Success is not measured by speed but by who can drive farthest on a litre of fuel.

OneShift Editorial Team

06 Feb 2014

Competing on home soil are about 15 teams from the Philippines’ top engineering schools. They will be racing alongside students from universities, colleges and technical institutes across 15 countries; including Egypt - who are fielding three teams to compete for the first time.

Student teams may participate in the Prototype or Urban Concept vehicle categories of the competition. The Prototype category will see student teams entering cars of the future – streamlined vehicles focused on maximizing fuel-efficiency through innovative design elements, such as drag reduction. The Urban Concept category will focus on more “roadworthy” fuel-efficient vehicles. Aimed at meeting the real-life needs of drivers – these vehicles are closer in appearance to the higher-mileage cars seen on the roads today. A total of more than 100 vehicles – composed of Prototype and Urban Concept models – have been entered for this year’s competition.

Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2014 will see 24 On-Track awards with prize money of $2,000 and $1,000 for Winners and Runners up in both Prototype and Urban Concept categories. In addition, teams will also be vying for six Off-Track awards: Communications, Vehicle Design, Technical Innovation, Safety, Perseverance and Spirit of the Event and Shell Helix Tribology Award. The Shell Helix Tribology Award is an off-track award that recognizes student teams that demonstrate the use of lubrication engineering principles to improve the fuel efficiency result of their vehicles.

The Shell Eco-marathon Asia flag-off ceremony will be held on February 7 at the Luneta Park, while the closing ceremony and awards presentation will be held on February 9 at the Fiesta Pavilion of Manila Hotel.

Credits: Oneshift News Team