/ 28 September 2015

Showcasing energy-efficient vehicles

Showcasing Energy Efficient Vehicles

Shell South Africa in conjunction with the University of Johannesburg will host the second Shell Eco-marathon in Africa on October 3 and 4. The event will be held at Zwartkops Raceway, west of Pretoria. The Shell Eco-marathon is a global competition that challenges high school and university students to design, build, test and drive the most energy-efficient vehicle. This initiative seeks to inspire young people around the world to develop new approaches and energy-efficient solutions to the future of mobility.

“We are pleased to work closely with the University of Johannesburg’s school of electrical and electronic engineering in inspiring the next generation of engineers and in stimulating interest around energy efficiency. We believe that educating young people about the importance of energy is critical to achieving energy security, particularly now when the world has an increased demand for energy,” said Bonang Mohale, chairman of Shell South Africa.

This year, 20 participating teams from different high schools and universities in South Africa and across Africa registered for the competition. The teams are classified under two vehicle categories, Prototype and UrbanConcept. The Prototype category will be powered by battery electric or gasoline (unleaded petrol). The UrbanConcept will be powered by gasoline (unleaded petrol) or diesel.  The winning team will have designed a car that drives the equivalent of the longest distance using the least amount of energy in their chosen category. The goal is not to break speed records but to use as little energy as possible over a set distance.

“Initiatives such as these demonstrate commitment to harbouring young and dynamic talent displayed by learners and students who are dedicated to tackling the energy challenge. The event also serves as an ideal ground to attract and capture young people’s interest in the fields of Science, Technology and Engineering,” said Professor Meye, head of the School of Engineering at the University of Johannesburg.