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

The De La Salle University (DLSU) Eco Car Team, which represented the Philippines in the Shell Eco-marathon (SEM) Virtual League, won third place in 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

Their solution to the challenge was a Smart Mobility Grid interconnecting different countries in the ASEAN region that is powered by data science and renewable energies. The project foresees a rise in economic activity due to the future implementations of the AEC (ASEAN Economic Community).

Members of the DLSU team under the Gokongwei College of Engineering include MEE students Carlos Dizon, Jaryl Cruz, Dennis Hurt, Daven Jalandoon, Michael Lirio, Ren Untalan, Sean Gatpo, Eunice Rupisan, Jinhee Kim, Abrey Arroyo, EJ Ignacio, and Edwin Lisaba.

Serving as the team’s advisers are: faculty members Prof. Jose Manuel Biona, full professor of the Mechanical Engineering Department; Engr. Jose Antonio Catalan, assistant professor of the Electronics and Communications Engineering Department; and Dr. Neil Stephen Lopez, associate professor of the ME Department.

SEM is an annual global competition participated in by high school and university students from around the world. Over the years, the competition has encouraged students to build ultra-energy-efficient vehicles.

The Shell Eco-marathon 2021 Virtual Programme received submissions from 139 teams across 20 Asia Pacific and Middle East countries, with the pan-region receiving the most submissions in three of the five virtual competitions: Pitch the Future, Off-track Awards, and Road to 2050.