Shell Eco-Marathon Europe celebrating 30 years of innovation with 7 Hungarian student teams

Thirty years of technological innovation, outstanding achievements and once-in-a-lifetime experiences mark a significant milestone in what is one of the most challenging engineering student competitions, Shell Eco-marathon Europe. 230 student teams from 30 countries throughout Europe and beyond are invited to Rotterdam from 21-24 May to push the boundaries of energy efficiency on the road.

 The competition serves as a platform for students to test vehicles that they have designed and built themselves. The teams are challenged to drive as far as possible on the equivalent of 1 kWh or 1 litre of fuel.

For the first time in the history of the race, in total 7 Hungarian teams will represent Hungary in the challenge. Together with the team of Óbuda University, which is the oldest participant of the competition joining in 2008 for the first time, SZEnergy team from Széchenyi University of Győr is also an experienced contestant.

On the 30th edition of the European competition Shark and Paradicsom teams from Budapest University of Technology and Economics will take the challenge for the first time similarly to STECO team from the University of Szeged.

Besides higher education institutes, two high schools will also represent Hungary in Rotterdam. Students of Kandó Kálmán Technical School are considered as accomplished participants, members of Árpád Fejedelem Grammar School’s team, however, can test their vehicle designing skills for the first time.

Leading up to the competition in May, students are working hard to develop innovative approaches and technologies to squeeze every extra kilometre out of their vehicles. 3D-printing technology, wind tunnel testing and computerised throttle management are just a few examples of students working with state-of-the-art technology. This year, the teams can choose to race with a new energy type, CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). CNG is a low-carbon transport fuel that can be used as an alternative to petrol and diesel.

Péter Juhász, Senior District Manager of Shell Hungary says: “The 2015 season promises to be an exciting year for the European series. One of the most important aim of this competition is to look ahead at new technologies which will help us address the global challenges we face around finding new solutions for the future of energy and mobility. I can’t wait to see what the students will achieve this year.”