Over 100 student teams from all across Asia, Middle East and Africa will gather in the Philippines for a unique four-day event to showcase, test and drive their self-built, fuel-efficient vehicles.
The Shell Eco-marathon Asia will be held for the third and final time in Manila this year on March 3. A flag-off ceremony will be held on March 4 at the historic Rizal Park, with a closing ceremony and awards presentation on March 6 at Manila Hotel.
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 vehicle. The modern format of the competition began in 1985 in France.
In April 2007, the Shell Eco-marathon Americas event was launched in the United States, and in 2010, the inaugural Shell Eco-marathon Asia was held in Malaysia until 2013. Since 2014, the event has been held in the Philippines.
Student teams are challenged to stretch the boundaries of fuel efficiency in a real- world urban environment, and winners are determined by the mileage achieved on a liter of fuel rather than speed. Last year’s competition saw Team Virgin from Sakonnakhon Technical College in Thailand drive 1,572 km on a litre of ethanol— the approximate distance between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.
Competing on home soil this year are 28 teams from the Philippines’ top schools and engineering colleges—the largest contingent among the 17 participating countries from across the region.
The Philippine schools are: City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy, De La Salle University, Far Eastern University Institute of Technology, University of San Carlos, Malayan Colleges Laguna, New Era University, Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology, National University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines–Manila, Central Colleges of the Philippines, Don Bosco Technical College–Mandaluyong, Cebu Institute of Technology–University, University of Mindanao, University of the Philippines–Diliman, Technological Institute of the Philippines–Quezon City and Manila, University of the East, and University of Santo Tomas.
Student teams may participate in either 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 maximising fuel efficiency through innovative design elements, such as drag reduction.
The Urban Concept category meanwhile will focus on fuel-efficient vehicles that are closer in appearance to the mainstream, higher-mileage cars seen on the roads today.
For both Prototype and Urban Concept categories, teams may enter vehicles using any of the following energy types—gasoline, diesel, alternative gasoline (ethanol 100), alternative diesel (Shell Gas-to-Liquid or fatty acid methyl ester), battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell. Results for the electrically powered vehicles are measured in kilometers per kilowatt hour (km/kWh), and in kilometers per litre (km/l) for the other energy types.