Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2018: Indonesian teams show dominance once again

SEM2018 UrbanConcept
Team ITS Team 2, #502, from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia. Image credit: Joe Nair/AP Images for Shell

The UrbanConcept category of the Shell Eco-marathon (SEM) Asia 2018 came to a close yesterday evening, with Indonesian student teams showing their mettle. For the first time ever, there are more UrbanConcept car entries than Prototype cars in the competition.

Shell Eco-marathon is divided into two main categories: UrbanConcept and Prototype. UrbanConcept vehicles resemble modern road-going cars, while Prototype vehicles are three-wheeled, highly-aerodynamic mini formula cars.

The cars are subdivided into three energy classes: Internal Combustion (ICE) – gasoline, diesel, ethanol (biofuel), Gas to Liquid (GTL), CNG (compressed natural gas); Battery-Electric power; and Hydrogen fuel cell.

Over 120 teams across 18 countries put their self-designed and built energy-efficient vehicles to the test.

There are two key competition in SEM, the first being the Mileage Challenge where the UrbanConcept and Prototype cars compete to travel the farthest, with the least amount of fuel.

The second competition at SEM is on the penultimate day—the exciting Drivers’ World Championship (DWC) Asia. DWC pits UrbanConcept vehicles in a unique head-to-head race on track. It’s a competition to see who can cross the finish line first, with the least amount of fuel.

SEM2018 UrbanConcept
Team SEMAR URBAN UGM INDONESIA, #507, from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. Credit: Joe Nair/AP Images for Shell

UrbanConcept Category Results

ICE class

  1. ITS Team 2, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopbember, 502, Indonesia
  2. Semar Urban UGM Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, 507, Indonesia
  3. Garuda UNY ECO Team, 503, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Battery-Electric

  1. LH-EST, Lac Hong University, 701, Vietnam
  2. Nogogeni ITS Team 1, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopbember, 703, Indonesia
  3. Bumi Siliwangi Team 4, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesa, 707, Indonesia

Hydrogen

  1. NTU Singapore 3D-Printed Car, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
SEM2018 UrbanConcept
Image credit: Edwin Koo/AP Images for Shell

Winning teams take home a USD3,000 prize each. But that’s not all.

The seven winners from the classes will compete in the Drivers’ World Championship Asia heats, which will also treat as a qualifier for the grand finale of the Drivers’ World Championship to be held in London. The top three teams from the Asia regional final will face off against the best UrbanConcept teams from the Americas and Europe at Make the Future Live in London, UK, on July 8, 2018.

The intense competition will see how fuel-efficient UrbanConcept cars go head-to-head with each other on the track.

Today, the last day of Make the Future Singapore 2018 and Shell Eco-marathon will see Prototype cars battling it out in the final leg of the mileage competition. This will of course be followed by the Drivers’ World Championship Asia.

SEM2018 UrbanConcept
Team ITS Team 2, #502, from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia, competing under the UrbanConcept – Gasoline category. Image credit: Edwin Koo/AP Images for Shell

Make the Future Singapore

Make the Future Singapore takes place at Singapore’s Changi Exhibiton Centre from 8 to 11 March 2018. Entrance is free to the public.

The festival is held with support from the Singapore Tourism Board, Ministry of Education, Science Centre Singapore, Innosparks, Strides Transportation and Borneo Motors.

For more information on Make the Future Singapore and to register for free priority tickets, please visit http://sg.makethefuture.shell.

Follow me for updates

For on-the-ground updates, follow me at vernonchan.com/cars/makethefuture, as well as on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

#MTFS2018 #makethefuture #shellecomarathon #SEMA2018 #VCSEMA2018

SEM2018 UrbanConcept
eam NTU Singapore 3D-Printed Car, #602, from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Image credit: Edwin Koo/AP Images for Shell
SEM2018 UrbanConcept
Team LH – EST, #701, from Lac Hong University, Vietnam, competing under the UrbanConcept – Battery Electric category. Image credit: Edwin Koo/AP Images for Shell
Vernon
Vernon is the founder and chief editor of Vernonchan.com. A graphic designer by profession, he has a deep love for technology, cars, gadgets, food, and travel. He tweets too much and is also known as a caffeine bacterium ("life's too short for bad coffee"). Bleeds Blue (go Chelsea FC!) and considers BMW, Porsche, Alfa Romeo cars to have in the garage--hallmarks of a true petrolhead.