DLSU team places 3rd in 2021 Shell Eco-marathon Virtual League challenge

The De La Salle University (DLSU) Eco Car Team from the Philippines clinched third spot in this year’s Shell Eco-marathon Virtual League.

A Shell release reported that the team took the third place in the Road to 2050, a second bonus challenge introduced in the league this year, and which asked teams to creatively capture in a 30-second ad the future of mobility. 

Every year, thousands of high school and university students from around the world participate at the annual global meet and build ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. For 2021, the Shell Eco-marathon 2021 Virtual Program received submissions from 139 teams across 20 Asia-Pacific and Middle East countries.

The pan-region “received the most submissions in three of the five virtual competitions: Pitch the Future, Off-track Awards, and Road to 2050.”

Team Averera from the Indian Institute of Technology BHU emerged as the 2021 SEM Global Virtual League Winner this year.

Aside from the De La Salle University (DLSU) Eco Car Team, Team Hygears of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines finished second in the 2021 Virtual Off-track Awards. 

Filipino student participants have been receiving recognition in the Shell Eco-marathon Virtual Leagues. Last year, Team Alamat UP from the University of the Philippines was awarded Global Champion of the Pitch the Future competition. In 2019, four Philippine entries made it to the finals in the Vehicle Design category: Team UMindanao Wildcats from the University of the Mindanao; DLSU-Eco Car Team-I.C.E. from the De La Salle University; PLM Agsikapin from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila; and PUP-Hygears from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Manila.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation Vice President for Corporate Relations Serge Bernal expressed the company’s elation over the accomplishment of the students in the League.

“Shell believes in the potential of the future generation by investing in the youth of today. The Shell Eco-marathon Road to 2050 shows that our young talents, who will be our leaders of tomorrow, recognize the importance of mobility to our national progress, and want to contribute to its development,” Bernal said.

Meanwhile, Shell Eco-marathon Global General Manager Norman Koch highlighted the entrants’ resilience amid the pandemic.

“The creativity, resilience and determination of the students continue to astound us… Against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, they demonstrated their passion for winning and innovation through their hard work and delivering top-notch entries to all the virtual challenges.  A Virtual Program this year allowed us to honor the work the students have done and provide a continued opportunity to compete,” Koch noted.

For his part, DLSU Eco Car Team’s Michael Lirio said that the important lesson he learned from the competition is to “think big for the future.”

“This is important because the future will hold more possibilities and opportunities than the limitations we hold today. To be able to make the future, I must do my best to make my theory into a reality.”

Carlos Dizon, who is part of the said team, acknowledged that SEM developed and built on the students’ knowledge and research skills. He then says that as engineers, they can use the research “to find and solve the different problems that surround our globe so that we can ensure a sustainable future for all mankind.”

Relatedly, Bernal said that Pilipinas Shell “has always championed innovation as one way to drive progress... Our programs train and provide opportunities for Filipino students in the field of STEM (science, engineering, tech, and math). The Shell Eco-marathon is one arena which encourages all of these:  innovation, education, and talent development. It continues to find ways to keep the spirit of innovation alive among its student participants."

The winners were announced in a ceremony streamed on Shell Eco-marathon’s YouTube channel. Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 Drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Jr., as well as Shell Pennzoil NASCAR driver for Team Penske Joey Logano and Nissan e.dams Formula E driver Sebastien Buemi joined the online ceremony as special guests.

Photos from Pilipinas Shell

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