The 30th Eco Marathon held by Shell will be taking place in Manila, Philippines, this year. The basic concept of the Shell Eco Marathon is to challenge student teams from all over the world to come up with a car that can give maximum mileage in one liter or one gallon of fuel. The word ECO makes it quite clear that student teams have to come up with and design, build, and test ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. The current world record of the Shell Eco Marathon is 315.4 km/liter.
Shell Pakistan helps its Pakistani talent to showcase their work (model cars) in the Shell Eco Marathon which is held in different countries. Shell Pakistan takes all the responsibility of the teams from Pakistan in terms of travel and participation in the Eco Marathon. It makes Pakistanis feel a bit patriotic that their country is also part of such a great marathon which focuses on eco-friendly cars.
Student teams from Pakistan participating in Shell Eco Marathon are:
Karachi PNEC-NUST-URBAN, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Karachi
Karachi PNEC-NUST-PROTOTYPE, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Karachi
Sahiwal ARMZSTAR COMSATS, Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal
Faisalabad Team Mechanergy NFC, Institute of Engineering and Fertilizer Research, Faisalabad
Topi HammerHead ARC, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology
Wah WEC-UW-Urban, Wah Engineering College
Rawalpindi NUSTAG, National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Rawalpindi
Taxila Team PIEAS, Pakistan Institue Of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad
Taxila innova, Pakistan Institue Of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad
Islamabad AIRIANZ, Air University, Islamabad
Islamabad Mech The Tech, Air University, Islamabad
Islamabad Team Sterling – NUST
Focus on Design:
The main areas on which teams have to focus is not just the engine with best fuel mileage but also aerodynamics, meaning less drag due to road friction, and also taking care of the size of the wheels and total weight of the car.
Focus on Engine:
In this competition, teams also have to take care of the engine type, which likely means they focus on using a more compact engine with a higher compression ratio which means less engine weight with maximum power.
Focus on Transmission:
Student teams taking part in the Shell Eco Marathon prefer using rear-engine, rear-wheel drive which actually gives more traction due to more weight on the driving wheels.
Facts about the Shell Marathon:
- The Shell Eco Marathon is a global initiative taken by Shell to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by transportation.
- Automobiles alone make up 13% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
- The competition enters Asia for the sixth year, marking the 30th anniversary of the Global Shell Eco Marathon
- 158 student teams from 19 countries of Asia and the Middle East will hit the track in Manila this year.
- The Shell Eco Marathon is being held at Luneta Park in Manila, Philippines, this year.
- This is the second time the Shell Eco Marathon is being held in Manila, Philippines.
- The circuit track in Manila requires extremely agile “driver skill” to maneuver the vehicle across the 4 tight bends of the track.
- The two categories through which teams can participate in the event are Prototype and Urban Concept categories.
- The winners and runners up will receive prize money ranging from $2,000 and $1,000 respectively in both categories.
- Six Off-Track Awards will also be given out to deserving teams.
- The categories for Off-Track Awards are Communications, Vehicle Design, Technical Innovation, Safety, Perseverance, and Spirit of the Event, as well as the Shell Helix Tribology Award.