Shell Eco-marathon

LOS ANGELES BUREAU - 323.468.4888

Canadian Student Vehicle Achieves 2757.1 Miles per Gallon in Challenge to “Change the Way the World Uses Energy”

Undergrad Teams from USA, Canada, Brazil, India, and Mexico Competed To Create Vehicles Which
Traveled the Furthest Distance Using the Least Amount of Fuel

Category Winners for 2009 Shell Eco-Marathon
Also Include:

Penn State: Winner in Fuel Cell / Hydrogen Prototype Category

Mater Dei High School (Evansville, Indiana): Winner in UrbanConcept Category

Purdue University: Winner in the Solar Power Prototype Category

April 2009, Fontana, California: At Shell Oil Company’s 2009 Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, innovation and fuel efficiency was the name of the game!

Laval University (Quebec, Canada) won the Grand Prize at the competition, where teams of high school, college and technical school students from the United States, Canada, Brazil, India, and Mexico competed to create vehicles that travel the furthest distance using the least amount of fuel.

Laval University’s entry (white car) in the Prototype combustible engine category achieved fuel efficiency equivalent to 2757.1 miles per gallon (1172.2 km/l) after two days of competition at the California Speedway.

In the UrbanConcept category – new to the Americas this year – Mater Dei High School (Evansville, IN) won the Grand Prize (red car with bubble cockpit). The team’s vehicle traveled the equivalent of 433.3 miles per gallon (184.2 km/l) during qualifying runs. Shell Oil Company presented both schools with checks for $5,000.

This year the Eco-marathon attracted 44 teams (representing 29 universities and 6 high schools) from North and South America, representing Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States. A guest team from India also fielded an entry in the competition.

Participants designed vehicles in two categories: the “Prototype Group”, which includes cars with maximum technical creativity and minimal restrictions with regard to current automotive designs; and a new category, “UrbanConcept Group", which includes vehicles closer in appearance and technology to current models and nearly road ready.

Students from Laval University (Quebec, CAN), who won the Grand Prize in the “Prototype” category, were tired but jubilant after their victory.

The awards were presented at a ceremony Saturday night, marking the end of the competition. Mark Singer, Shell’s global project manager for the Eco-marathon, announced the winners and their accomplishments.

The Shell Eco-marathon is a global mileage challenge and forum for current and future leaders who are passionate about finding sustainable solutions to the world’s energy challenge. The event challenges students to design, build and test eco-friendly vehicles that travel further using less energy. From vehicle design to financing, student teams manage their projects from start to finish.
The Shell Eco-marathon concept started in 1939 as a contest between company employees at a research lab in Illinois.
The winning teams in both the Prototype and UrbanConcept categories receive a grand prize of US $5,000 for their school. And this year, Shell afforded several “off-track” awards, including the “Safety Award,” “Technical Innovation Award” and “Eco-Friendly".

Overview of the winning teams in the 2009 Shell Oil Eco-marathon:

Laval University: Grand Prize – Combustion Engine – Prototype Category

With a mileage of 2,757.1 mpg, the Alerion Supermileage Team from Laval University in Quebec, Canada won a US $5000 grand prize with their vehicle NTF 3.0. (white car)

Penn State University: Fuel Cell / Hydrogen Winner – Prototype Category

The Penn State University Team from University Park, Pennsylvania achieved 1,912.9 mpg in its Blood, Sweat & Gears vehicle (blue car).

Mater Dei High School: Grand Prize – Combustion Engine – UrbanConcept Category

With mileage of 433.3 mpg the Mater Dei Supermileage Team from Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Indiana won $US 5000 grand prize with their vehicle Street Buggy I (red car with bubble).

ALSO FROM MATER DEI: Mater Dei High School: #3 – Prototype Combustion Category

Mater Dei was a double-winner at the competition. In addition to their Grand Prize with the Street Buggy in the Combustion Engine / UrbanConcept Category, Mater Dei’s The Sixth Gen came in third place in the Prototype category, with 2,093 miles per gallon. The Sixth Gen won the 2008 Prototype Class with 2,843 miles per gallon, which remains a Shell competition record. Third place came with a $1,000 prize. (Editor’s note to distinguish between the two Mater Dei vehicles, both of which are red: The Sixth Gen is lower and sleeker, while the Street Buggy has a more bubble-shaped cockpit cover.)


LOS ANGELES BUREAU - 323.468.4888
Canadian Student Vehicle Achieves 2757.1 Miles per Gallon in Challenge to “Change the Way the World Uses Energy” Undergrad Teams from USA, Canada, Brazil, India, and Mexico Competed To Create Vehicles Which Traveled the Furthest Distance Using the Least Amount of Fuel Category Winners for 2009 Shell Eco-Marathon Also Include: Penn State: Winner in Fuel Cell / Hydrogen Prototype Category Mater Dei High School (Evansville, Indiana): Winner in UrbanConcept Category
Purdue University: Winner in the Solar Power Prototype Category April 2009, Fontana, California: At Shell Oil Company’s 2009 Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, innovation and fuel efficiency was the name of the game! Laval University (Quebec, Canada) won the Grand Prize at the competition, where teams of high school, college and technical school students from the United States, Canada, Brazil, India, and Mexico competed to create vehicles that travel the furthest distance using the least amount of fuel. Laval University’s entry (white car) in the Prototype combustible engine category achieved fuel efficiency equivalent to 2757.1 miles per gallon (1172.2 km/l) after two days of competition at the California Speedway. In the UrbanConcept category – new to the Americas this year – Mater Dei High School (Evansville, IN) won the Grand Prize (red car with bubble cockpit). The team’s vehicle traveled the equivalent of 433.3 miles per gallon (184.2 km/l) during qualifying runs. Shell Oil Company presented both schools with checks for $5,000. This year the Eco-marathon attracted 44 teams (representing 29 universities and 6 high schools) from North and South America, representing Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States. A guest team from India also fielded an entry in the competition. Participants designed vehicles in two categories: the “Prototype Group”, which includes cars with maximum technical creativity and minimal restrictions with regard to current automotive designs; and a new category, “UrbanConcept Group", which includes vehicles closer in appearance and technology to current models and nearly road ready. Students from Laval University (Quebec, CAN), who won the Grand Prize in the “Prototype” category, were tired but jubilant after their victory. The awards were presented at a ceremony Saturday night, marking the end of the competition. Mark Singer, Shell’s global project manager for the Eco-marathon, announced the winners and their accomplishments. The Shell Eco-marathon is a global mileage challenge and forum for current and future leaders who are passionate about finding sustainable solutions to the world’s energy challenge. The event challenges students to design, build and test eco-friendly vehicles that travel further using less energy. From vehicle design to financing, student teams manage their projects from start to finish. The Shell Eco-marathon concept started in 1939 as a contest between company employees at a research lab in Illinois. The winning teams in both the Prototype and UrbanConcept categories receive a grand prize of US $5,000 for their school. And this year, Shell afforded several “off-track” awards, including the “Safety Award,” “Technical Innovation Award” and “Eco-Friendly". Overview of the winning teams in the 2009 Shell Oil Eco-marathon: Laval University: Grand Prize – Combustion Engine – Prototype Category With a mileage of 2,757.1 mpg, the Alerion Supermileage Team from Laval University in Quebec, Canada won a US $5000 grand prize with their vehicle NTF 3.0. (white car) Penn State University: Fuel Cell / Hydrogen Winner – Prototype Category The Penn State University Team from University Park, Pennsylvania achieved 1,912.9 mpg in its Blood, Sweat & Gears vehicle (blue car). Mater Dei High School: Grand Prize – Combustion Engine – UrbanConcept Category With mileage of 433.3 mpg the Mater Dei Supermileage Team from Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Indiana won $US 5000 grand prize with their vehicle Street Buggy I (red car with bubble). ALSO FROM MATER DEI: Mater Dei High School: #3 – Prototype Combustion Category Mater Dei was a double-winner at the competition. In addition to their Grand Prize with the Street Buggy in the Combustion Engine / UrbanConcept Category, Mater Dei’s The Sixth Gen came in third place in the Prototype category, with 2,093 miles per gallon. The Sixth Gen won the 2008 Prototype Class with 2,843 miles per gallon, which remains a Shell competition record. Third place came with a $1,000 prize. (Editor’s note to distinguish between the two Mater Dei vehicles, both of which are red: The Sixth Gen is lower and sleeker, while the Street Buggy has a more bubble-shaped cockpit cover.)