Thais show how to travel to Davao and back with just a liter of ethanol

Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada doing the ceremonial flag-off

The bright and warm day at the converted 1.2-kilometer track in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta last Sunday has all the hallmarks of a traditional race meet. Cars line up the starting grid, teams talk strategy and engineers check vehicle electronics. But at the Shell Eco-marathon Asia, it’s not about going fast. The goal is to log the most number of kilometers using just one liter of fuel or comparable 1 kilowatt hour of energy.

For us Filipinos who are so used to watching fast-paced motorsport action—Formula 1 race, MotoGP, World Rally Championship, Nascar—the sight of tiny and lightweight vehicles leisurely moving around a rectangular race course was indeed an eye-opener.

This is another facet of motorsport where vehicle entries are allowed to use a range of energy sources: hydrogen (fuel cell), battery electric, gasoline, diesel, Shell Gas to Liquids (GTL), Fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) and Ethanol E100.

Teams are challenged to build machines that use the least fuel possible while running at an average of 25 kilometers per hour around a circuit. They are also encouraged to come up with designs that could influence the final fuel economy returned such as improving aerodynamics, rolling resistance and driving techniques.

Most riveting

The De La Salle University’s Eco-Car Team-Electric ranked second in the Urban Concept-Battery Electric Category with a consumption rating of 66.38 km/kWh.

Last Sunday’s concluding race was the most riveting for the two Thai contingents, most especially for Team How Much Ethanol of the Panjavidhya Technological College who beat a rival and former champion, Team Luk Jao Mae Khlong Prapa of Dhurakij Pundit University Thailand. Using just one liter of ethanol, Team How Much Ethanol was able to log in a distance of 2,730.8 km, comparable to driving from Manila to Davao City and back.

Although Team Luk Jao Mae Khlong Prapa managed to log 2,211.3 kilometers per liter, the team still owns the regional record of 2,903 kpl, set on the Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, in 2012.

The Philippine delegates also did well with their respective entries: The De La Salle University’s Eco-Car Team-Electric finished second in the Urban Concept-Battery Electric Category after logging 66.38 km/kWh.

Meanwhile, the TIP Mileage Team from the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP), Manila bested over 12 other teams in the Urban Concept-Diesel Category after finishing in third place when it logged a fuel consumption rating of 47.44 kpl.

Dominant Thais

Thailand also dominated the gasoline Prototype class, taking first and second place, respectively: Team Virgin with 1,796.0 kpl and Team ATE.1 with 1,078.06. Malaysian teams won in the alternative diesel and hydrogen classes.

Team How Much Ethanol from Panjavidhya Technological College Thailand drove 2,730 km on a liter of ethanol.

The top Prototype diesel distance was 616.2 kpl equivalent, achieved by Team Tongji from China. They had been first through technical inspection and first to record an official attempt.

Indonesian teams also performed well with Team Sadewa Otto winning the petrol UrbanConcept prize: Its 301.68-kpl equivalent was well over three times more than the nearest competitor. In the Urban Concept Diesel class, Indonesian team Mesin Polnep came first with 70.3 kpl equivalent.

Of course, every team in the world joining the Shell Eco-marathon would love to beat what La Joliverie’s gasoline-powered prototype Microjoule has achieved: The French team currently owns the record for its category when it logged 3,794 kpl. Another French prototype, the Polyjoule, which is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and was developed in partnership with university students at Polytech Nantes, holds the record for its category (logging the equivalent of 5,136 kpl).

Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2014 was held in partnership with the Department of Tourism, the City of Manila, Unilever Philippines, Solane, Coca-Cola, Globe, Lego and Hyundai. The event’s global partners include HP, Michelin, The Linde Group and Southwest Research Institute.