Team Cikal Cakrasvarna championed the Urban Concept Class, having the highest mileage of 196,3 km for each litre of gasoline usage, defeated the other 16 teams. Their car, Cakrasvarna, maintained last year's similar record achieved by Team Cikal Nusantara in this same event. At that time, the accomplished mileage was only 116,7 km for each litre of gasoline. Team Rakata, who competed last year, now beats their own record in Prototype Class, from the previous 244 km/L mileage last year, to 291 km/L mileage this year, using pure ethanol as fuel.

In this year's SEM, ITB students attempt to utilize lithium battery and alternative diesel as fuel for Urban Concept cars. Urban Concept is a class designated for conventional four - wheel fuel - efficient car, which nowadays has growing demands. Team Cikal Cakrawala successfully grabbed the Runner-Up, having the mileage of 74,9 km per each kWh of lithium usage. Team Cikal Diesel, became Runner-Up with the mileage of 149 km per each litre of alternative diesel usage. The said alternative fuel was named FAME (fatty acid methyl esther), which was designated for the use in diesel machine use.

Improved Achievement at Shell Eco-Marathon 2012

SEM has been held since 1985 in the Europe. Starting from 2010, SEM was annually held in Asia at Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Various cars designed by both college and high school students participated in this championship. With the predetermined amount of fuel, they compete against one another to have the highest mileage. The fuels can be either lithium battery, diesel, ethanol, FAME, gasoline, GTL (gas-to-liquid), hydrogen, and solar cell.

The competition encourages students to solve environmental problems closely related to fuel usage. "This is not a mere championship, but an avenue to turn ideas into reality. We hope that students are motivated to seek for creative, smart ways to solve energy issue," said the General Manager of Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Mavis Kuek, as written by Kompas.

This year's participants are -in general- much more prepared than last year's. Out of 119 teams coming from 18 countries, 109 passed the technical inspection. "I'm glad to witness improved designs this year. The competing teams gain deeper understanding on how to pass the technical inspection," said Shell Eco-marathon Asia Technical Lead Colin Chin Mun Hau in SEM official website. "But most of all, I would like to encourage the spirit of kindness and collaboration I have seen. Students can learn a lot from each other and it's wonderful to see them do this."

ITB achievement at international event as prestigious as Asia SEM 2012 is the result of hard-working, determined collaboration among student of different majors, such as Electrical Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Material Engineering, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, as well as Industrial Engineering and Industrial Design. ITB wishes to keep and improve the achievement to finally win the Overall Champion, the title currently held by Team Luk Jao Mae Khlong Prapa from Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand, with 2903 km/L mileage.

 

From various sources.

Photographs taken from Shell official homepage.