Four Indian teams the big winners in virtual Shell Eco-Marathon Asia contest

Lubricant and energy major Shell India has announced that teams from India have bagged awards in four out of six categories at the first virtual Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Off-Track Awards. The company says the on-track event was cancelled in lieu of the Covid-19 pandemic, students were evaluated online for the off-track awards in categories technical innovation, vehicle design (prototype and urban concept), communications, safety and circular economy. The company says the year 2020 also marks the 35th anniversary of Shell Eco-Marathon.

The student teams from India have received $3,000 (Rs 222,000) prize money each, by winning awards in four out of six categories, as follows:

• Team Eco Titans from VIT University won the Communications Award for their integrated communications efforts including elements like cross-nation seminars, exhibitions, rallies, radio segments and social media outreach.
• Team Pravega from the Government Engineering College, Barton Hill won the Circular Economy Award for their eco-friendly prototype made from 100% bamboo fabric combined with glass fibre and powered by electrical energy.
• Team DTU E-Supermileage from the Delhi Technological University won the Vehicle Design Award in the Prototype category for their innovative aerodynamic and fuel-efficient vehicle design which includes a carbon fibre (G1CM) body structure.
• Team Inferno from the Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology won the Safety Award for their approach to safety including standardised protocols for drivers, vehicle transportation, battery management, risk assessments and several other on-site best practices.

Commenting on the results, Nitin Prasad, chairman, Shell Companies in India said: “We are proud of the student teams representing India in the 2020 Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Off-Track Awards. I would like to congratulate all the winners and participants who have done a remarkable job in demonstrating future-ready, innovative and energy efficient vehicles. It is inspiring to see the enthusiasm and passion in these students despite the unprecedented and trying times. We will continue to empower talented minds to make our country a destination for efficient and sustainable mobility solutions.”

The company says the first edition of the virtual Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Off-Track Awards witnessed exemplary participation by 8 student teams from India. The winners were announced in a virtual ceremony live on Shell Eco-Marathon’s Instagram and Twitter on June 3, 2020, led by Shell Eco-Marathon Global General Manager Norman Koch. Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 Driver Charles Leclerc joined the ceremony as a special guest.

Sanjeev Poduri, team manager, Team Eco Titans, VIT University: “This victory is special as 2020 has been a difficult year for us. We had put in everything in preparation for the event and we are so glad to have seen this come to fruition. As the team manager all I can say, no matter what adversities occur, hard-work and dedication always pay off. We would like to thank Shell for giving us this wonderful opportunity by finding a virtual solution, not letting our efforts go to waste and rewarding our work.”

Sree Tejas S, team manager, Team Inferno, Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology: “Team Inferno is happy to register its first off-track award win and would like to take this as a motivation to strive harder for future wins at SEM competitions. Congratulations to the entire team for its continuous and unrelenting efforts towards Inferno. A special thanks to all our seniors and our respected guide Khalique Ejaz Ahmed for their efforts in shaping this win. A huge congratulations and many thanks to Shell for successfully conducting the first ever virtual SEM. We are happy to be a part of this historical event and immensely proud to represent and even more so to win an award for India at a prestigious international competition!"

50 teams from 16 countries at Shell Eco-Marathon 2020
Shell India says the decision to host the off-track awards is an effort to honour the work put in by students and ensure the continuity of the programme in these uncertain times.  Around 50 teams from 16 different countries participated in the virtual Shell Eco-Marathon Off-Track Awards for the Asia region. Students submitted their entries with video content to show their work in action. Jury members connected online to select the winners for the six award categories: Vehicle Design (Prototype and Urban Concept), Technical Innovation, Communications, Safety and Circular Economy.