New Straits Times, Friday 1 May 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, Fri: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has become the first Malaysian team to take part in the Shell Eco-Marathon Europe,an annual fuel-efficiency challenge to determine which vehicle can travel the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel, Shell Malaysia announced today.Through UTM, Malaysia will thus make its debut in this global event that encourages students to solve the energy challenges of the future.Shell Malaysia chairman Datuk Saw Choo Boon said the Shell Eco-Marathon would be a valuable experience that would encourage students to showcase their creativity and innovativeness in meeting the energy challenge, and gain practical experience for the future.
"We hope the participation by UTM will inspire other Malaysian student teams to take up the challenge especially when the event is held here in Kuala Lumpur next year," Saw said in reference to Shell Malaysia hosting the inaugural Shell
Eco-marathon Asia at the Sepang International Circuit in July 2010.
The European competition will be held in Germany from May 7 to 9 at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, near Berlin where UTM will compete against more than 200 teams in their solar-powered vehicle.
"It is indeed a great privilege for UTM to represent our country and be the first Malaysian team to enter the Shell Eco-Marathon. I believe there are many useful lessons to take home from this experience," said Professor Hamdani Saidi,
who has been providing encouragement and support as advisor to the team and the Director for Fuel Cell Vehicle Team.Designed to test the limits of fuel efficiency, the Shell Eco-Marathon rules and regulations have further challenged theUTM team into thinking about having a better fuel-efficient vehicle for the event.This has led the team to modify its solar bicycle within three weeks into a three-wheel solar-powered vehicle for the challenge.
In the 2008 edition of the Shell Eco-marathon Europe, the Dutch team from the De Haagse Hogeschool won the urban concept category with a score of 848 km per litre from their hydrogen-powered vehicle while Lycee La Joliverie from France won the prototype category travelling 3,382 km per litre with their gasoline-powered vehicle. BERNAMA
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