PHL students to compete in Eco-Marathon in KL

Seven energy-efficient vehicles designed by teams from various universities will be fielded by the Philippines in the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Among the automotive designs gunning for the farthest distance on the least amount of fuel, one is an electric car; another is a diesel hybrid; and the rest are powered by gasoline. The participating teams came from top universities in Manila, including De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Don Bosco Technical College, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Mapua Institute of Technology and University of the Philippines. They will be competing in the race's Futuristic Prototype category, for designs that are more streamlined and aerodynamic; and Urban Concept category, for four-wheel designs geared towards practical, everyday use. Most prototype entries take much inspiration from aircraft, with streamlined chassis built like an aircraft hulls for increased aerodynamics. The seven prototype vehicles will compete against more than 100 other teams from all over Asia at the famed Sepang International Circuit in July. "Now on its second Asian leg, the SEM will once again encourage young, talented and creative Filipinos to take part in helping develop more sustainable and efficient energy sources, and bring pride to the country," said Roberto Kanapi, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation Vice President for Communications. Last year, only three Philippine teams competed in the eco-marathon tilt, with two teams receiving special off-track awards: the 2nd place Safety Award for Mapua's Team Atlanta, and a special recognition for demonstrating safety compliance for Don Bosco's Team Grigio. A team from Thailand eventually won top honors in last year's competition, covering 1,521.9 kilometers on only a liter of fuel. The National University of Singapore team, meanwhile, bagged top accolades in the Urban Concept category, topping a distance of 612.4 kilometers per liter for their automotive design. — TJD, GMA News