200 teams on track to compete in Shell Eco-marathon Europe 2008
This year's edition of the Shell Eco-marathon Europe promises to be one of the toughest competitions yet. After an intense selection process involving well over 300 applications, the Shell Eco-marathon Selection Committee invited 200 teams to participate in this year's quest for fuel efficiency taking place from 22 to 24 May at the Nogaro Motor Circuit in France. When making their selection, the Committee wanted to ensure the highest levels of safety on and off the track and as much diversity as possible in terms of competing countries, education institutions, fuel categories and engine types. Looking at the figures below, it's safe to say that the Committee accomplished its mission.
This year's Shell Eco-marathon Europe will consist of:
200 teams representing 25 different countries - an increase of 25% participating countries compared to last year
4 new European countries entering the competition: Bulgaria (1 team), Hungary (2 teams), Ukraine (2 teams) and 1 team from the UK re-entering the Shell Eco-marathon Europe after being absent for a number of years
2 new non-European countries entering the competition: Iran (1 team) and Morocco (1 team)
Vehicle categories: 75% Prototypes; 25% UrbanConcept vehicles - an increase of the UrbanConcept category of 40% compared to last year, demonstrating once again the increasing popularity of this category
4 fuel categories: gasoline, diesel, LPG and alternative energy sources including bio fuels, hydrogen, Gas To Liquid (GTL) and solar - alternative energies being the second most popular category after gasoline
Total team selection consists of one third secondary schools and two thirds universities Technology meets sustainable development
The Shell Eco-marathon is a great example of the interaction between the academic world and the industry. With mounting pressure to achieve higher efficiency and sustainability standards, the vehicles and technologies used in the Shell Eco-marathon can be a valuable source of inspiration for the automobile and energy industries. In light of this and with 2 increasing global awareness, students can now also look at these industries for inspiration on engine technologies or vehicle design. "It's interesting to note that in this year's UrbanConcept category, we see the arrival of several hybrid vehicles. These vehicles combine a combustion engine, a hydrogen fuel cell or a solar panel with an electric accumulator - in most cases a supercondensator - to optimize their energy management during the race", explains Vincent Tertois, Technical Manager of the Shell Eco-marathon and member of the Selection Committee. "These days, the development of hybrid systems is one of the biggest priorities for car manufacturers. It proves once again that the students taking part in the Shell Eco-marathon indeed address real issues and follow the current industry trends", Vincent Tertois stated. One example is the KTH Stockholm team from Sweden. These students use a HCCI hybrid engine for their UrbanConcept vehicle. According to several experts and media reports, HCCI or Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition is one of the most important evolutions in engine technology in recent years.
Since its start in 1985, the Shell Eco-marathon has become more and more successful both in France and beyond. This year's 200 teams from 25 participating countries are quite an evolution compared to the 4 countries and 25 teams back in 1985. There is no doubt that the Shell Eco-marathon has truly become a European event. Going forward, Shell wants to match this Europeanization by bringing the spirit of the event to new locations and give the opportunity to new teams to compete in the fuel efficiency challenge. After careful evaluation of several circuits in Europe on a number of specific technical and safety requirements Shell decided to hold the 2009 edition of the Shell Eco-marathon Europe at the Hockenheim circuit in Germany. In addition to its European status and central location, the circuit meets all the technical, safety and infrastructural conditions required to run a similarly successful event to the one organised at the Nogaro Motor Circuit in France.
