Energy-efficient: Shell Eco-marathon commences

Incentive: $2,000 is the prize money for a winner in any of the six categories that the teams are vying for in the marathon. PHOTO: FILE

MANILA: At a time when fuel costs continually increase, coupled with a load-shedding crisis, energy-efficient vehicles become the need of the hour.

The Shell Eco-marathon (Sem) Asia 2014, which got under way in Manila yesterday, is an event that stares down the uncertain future and encourages the young generation to be part of the innovation and solution to the energy crisis.

Six hopeful and aspiring teams from Pakistan universities underwent technical inspection – to ensure safety compliance among other requisites – on the first day of the four-day event that is being held in the Philippines for the first time.

The competition encourages students to design, build and test energy-efficient vehicles with teams being judged on how far their “prototype” or “urban concept” model – across different energy sources — travels on a litre of fuel.

Shell’s involvement in the event, which is the fifth of its kind, comes due to its attitude to lead innovation and reduce environmental footprint, according to Omar Sheikh, chairman and managing director of Shell Pakistan Limited and country chairperson for Shell companies in Pakistan.

“The need for mobility is going to evolve,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune. “We would like to lead the innovation and not just be part of it.”

While Shell plans to “lead the way”, as Sheikh put it, students who were finally able to register and reach the venue – with their vehicles being transported all the way from their university – had their own agenda.

The Pakistan teams, although confident and hopeful, were aware of the tough competition, which sees the participation of over 100 teams from 15 countries.

“The capacity set in our students is amazing,” commented Sheikh. “The delta is between the cars – and not the people. Sem allows the students to polish their skills and get a sense of what is out there in terms of competition. It gives them practical knowledge and an experience that itself is very precious.”

Meanwhile, participants from the National University of Sciences and Technology (Nust) were confident of bagging at least the off-track communications award if not winning anything on-track – the first round of which starts today.