Pakistani students set off for Philippines to participate in Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2015

Team members say prototype car cost Rs1m, and urban-type car, which is also part of contest could cost Rs0.7m

SWABI: A seven-member team of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology on Wednesday left for Manila, Philippines, to participate in the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2015.

Before their departure, members of the team told the media that the prototype car that they had made had cost Rs1 million, and the urban-type car, which is also part of the contest, could cost Rs0.7 million.

Their car runs on electricity and regular fuel. Professor Dr Javed A Chattha, Pro-Rector Academic, is the advisor of the team. He guided the students on how they could make the vehicle more predicative.

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The Shell Eco-marathon Asia is scheduled to be held in Manila from February 26 to March 1, and a total of 14 teams from different leading universities in Pakistan will represent their country in the competition.

Besides the GIK Institute team, students of Air University, COMSATS institute of IT, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Hitec University, National University of Science and Technology, NFC Institute of Engineering and Fertilizer Research and Wah Engineering Collage would also participate in the competition.

They said that the main objectives of the event are: to encourage the young and talented engineers to come forward with innovative ideas; reduce the environmental impact and save energy for the upcoming generations.

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The competition being held in Manila will be 30th one. In the past, young talent from all over Pakistan had showcased their talent. Their contributions and motivation had also been encouraged by the academia of their universities.

The GIK Institute was the only team from the country which had stood 6th in the previous competition, but for the upcoming contest they had improved their car and its speed, keeping in mind the competition.

“Last year, our car covered a distance of 205 kilometers per kilowatt per hour. But for the upcoming marathon, our car speed has been enhanced to 300 kilometers distance per kilowatt per hours,” said Kazi Sher Ahmad, who leads the seven-member team.

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A total of 40 countries from the Asian continent would participate in the Shell Eco-Marathon, where all participants will be students from leading universities of Asia. Students said that in effect this was a contest among the youth from the Asian continent.

It has been learnt that Shell officials had visited each university and team, inspected the vehicles they made and checked everything before they were recommended to represent Pakistan. “The country's flag would be fluttering over each vehicle participating in the competition.”

The main objective of the entire exercise is to send only competent teams to the competition, and the past experience had made clear that GIK Institute students are brilliant and hardworking, said a member of the academic staff.

“Keeping in mind their determination, I think they would excel in the upcoming competition. We provide complete support and encourage them to come up with new ideas,” he said