The RMUTP Racing team from Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon received the runner-up prize in the Prototype Category with an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle at the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia-Pacific and Middle East 2024.
This year’s event took place from July 2-6, 2024, at the Mandalika International Circuit in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia.
RMUTP Racing from Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon is one of the Thai youth teams that developed innovative energy-saving vehicles in the Prototype Category using an internal combustion engine (ICE) and ethanol fuel. The team won second place by using only one liter of fuel to cover the equivalent distance of 892.5 kilometers, an improvement from their fourth place finish in the same competition in 2023. This achievement not only highlights the capabilities of Thai youth in developing automotive innovation but also showcases Thailand’s potential and readiness in technology and energy conservation at an international level.
The Shell Eco-marathon Asia-Pacific and Middle East 2024 is a significant platform for youth teams from educational institutions in Asia and the Middle East to showcase their creativity and engineering skills through the invention of highly energy-efficient vehicles.
A total of 78 teams from educational institutions in 12 countries, including Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, participated in the competition. All four participating Thai youth teams came from Amphawa Vocational College, Sakon Nakhon Technical College, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, and Phranakhon Rajabhat University.
Ornuthai Na Chiangmai, Country Chair, The Shell Company of Thailand Co Ltd, said, “The Shell Eco-marathon Asia-Pacific and Middle East is a vital platform that continuously inspires the new generation to utilize their creativity in developing innovation and technology. This competition challenges participants to achieve energy efficiency while empowering youth from across the region to apply their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) knowledge and skills in designing and building highly efficient vehicles. We hope these innovations will play a crucial role in revolutionizing the future of energy use, aligning with the Powering Progress strategy, which supports the transition to clean energy for a sustainable quality of life for everyone.”
At the contest, each team must pass technical inspections to ensure safety before competing. The competition is divided into two categories: Prototype and Urban Concept. The Prototype category features three-wheeled, lightweight vehicles designed to minimize resistance and use the least amount of energy. The Urban Concept category features four-wheeled vehicles that resemble passenger cars. Contestants in each category can choose from three types of energy: battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cells, and internal combustion engines (gasoline, ethanol,
or diesel).
