SPONSORED POST
On October 15 and 16, Shell South Africa in conjunction with the University of Johannesburg will host the third Shell Eco-marathon in Africa. The event will be held at Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria West.
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 year’s event will also showcase a host of engineering and energy initiatives, including:
Afrikabot: a robotics competition that gives young students an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in the world of robot science.
CO2 Dragster Challenge: provides learners with a challenge to design and build a race car from a block of wood and a carbon-dioxide canister.
Lego Challenge: teams are required to use a hydrogen fuel cell to power a Lego-built car over a distance of 10m.
Delta Environmental Centre Innovative Leaner Energy Programmes: a showcase of three of the most successful and innovative energy-related programmes implemented by learners.
“It is again an honour for Shell in partnership with the University of Johannesburg’s School of Electrical Engineering to host our third Shell Eco-marathon on the African continent,” said Bonang Mohale, chairman of Shell South Africa.
“Shell is committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of engineers as we tackle the world’s energy challenges by collaboratively providing more and cleaner energy solutions.”
This year, 15 participating teams from high schools and universities in South Africa and the African continent registered for the competition.
The teams are classified under two vehicle categories – Prototype and Urban Concept – and can enter for any of the following propulsion systems: Shell Fuel Save Unleaded 93 Gasoline; Shell Fuel Save Diesel; Battery Electric; or Hydrogen.
The winning team’s car will drive 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 Prof Johan Meyer, head of the department of electrical and electronic engineering at the University of Johannesburg.
The Shell Eco-marathon is a visible demonstration of Shell’s commitment to finding integrated, responsible solutions to growing energy demand worldwide. It aims to stimulate all Shell stakeholders and the general public to engage in energy dialogues.
This article was paid for by Shell.
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