Mapua bags award in Shell eco-marathon

Mapua University received the Technical Innovation Award at the recent Shell Eco-marathon Asia – Pacific and the Middle East 2024 held in Mandalika International Circuit in Lombok, Indonesia in recognition for the team’s ability to integrate advanced technologies into their vehicle design, illustrating their high level of technical proficiency and creative ingenuity.

The Cardinals from Mapua University accepted their $3,000 prize for the said award and celebrated their innovative approach to energy-efficient vehicle design.

Student teams from 12 other countries —  Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam — participated in the annual competition sponsored by Shell.

Seven other Filipino college student teams that showcased their science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) skills included Team Siklab from Jose Rizal University, Cardinal One from Mapua University, Eco Archers from De La Salle University, UMindanao Wildcats University of Mindanao, and Team Kalasag from Adamson University, all of which successfully passed the rigorous technical inspection and later on entered their vehicles on the track.

The Prototype category saw remarkable achievements from various teams with participants focused on designing ultra-efficient, lightweight vehicles, typically with three wheels, to optimize the efficiency of innovative energy sources. The energy sources included battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, or internal combustion engine (gasoline, ethanol, and/or diesel).

Norman Koch, global general manager of Shell Eco-marathon, commended the participants and said: “It is truly impressive to see the high standards of performance and innovative ideas generated by these young thinkers, the changemakers of tomorrow. Despite facing various challenges throughout the competition, they remained resilient and achieved remarkable results in designing energy-efficient vehicles.”