The competition dates back to 1939 when Shell Oil Company employees in the USA made a friendly wager over who could travel farthest on the same amount of fuel. Since then it has expanded to two more continents, includes energy types ranging from biofuel to electricity, and sparks passionate debate around the future of energy and mobility.
How does it work?
After a year of designing, building and testing their vehicles, teams have just days to prove how far they can travel on the equivalent of one litre of fuel. In cars designed purely for energy efficiency or with consideration for the practical needs of everyday drivers, competitors roll round one of three circuits in search of victory.
The competition is split into two classes. The Prototype class focuses on maximum efficiency, while passenger comfort takes a back seat. The Urban Concept class encourages more practical designs. Cars enter one of seven categories to run on conventional petrol and diesel, biofuels, fuel made from natural gas (GTL), hydrogen, solar or electricity. Over several days, teams make as many attempts as possible to travel the farthest on the equivalent of one litre of fuel. Cars drive a fixed number of laps around the circuit at a set speed. Organizers calculate their energy efficiency and name a winner in each class and for each energy source. Off-track awards are given for other achievements including safety, teamwork, design, and technical innovation.
The competition inspires the engineers of the future to turn their vision of sustainable mobility into reality, if only for a few days. It also sparks passionate debate about what could one day be possible for cars on the road.
Shell Companies in Nigeria supported a group of Nigerian students and academics (Team Nigeria) to participate in 2013 Shell Eco-marathon Europe as observers. Team Nigeria consists of outstanding engineering students from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, supported by their academic professors.
The students will compete in the Shell Eco-marathon in 2014 in Europe (May 15-18) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and in 2015 in Asia in Manila, Philippines using vehicles they design and build themselves. As part of preparations for these main events, they attended the 2013 Shell Eco-marathon Europe (May 15-19) in Rotterdam, Netherlands as observers.
While in Netherlands, Team Nigeria spent over three hours touring Shell Technology Centre Amsterdam (STCA), one of three facilities around the world where scientists create oil and gas industry innovations. The students and faculty members, inspired by the relentless search for solutions and passion for excellence shown by the Shell scientists, are keen to emulate the same ethos as they prepare to design, build and race fuel efficient cars at the Shell Eco-marathon in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
TEAM UNIBEN
Team Uniben consists of 13 students from three different departments in the Faculty of Engineeringled by Prof. Akii Ibhadode (the Winner of 2010 Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG)-sponsored Nigeria Prize for Science). This group has decided to design and fabricate the Urban Concept (UC) car for the upcoming event in May 2014 in the Netherlands.
'We chose the Urban Concept car because it is a realistic type of design and can run on the Nigerian soil" says the Professor.
The team consists of three (3) core members who are 400L Production Engineering students and are currently on their industrial training (I.T), two 300L Electrical & Electronics Engineering students, one 400L Production Engineering students, three 300L Mechanical Engineering students, two 300L Production Engineering students and one M.Eng and Ph.D. students each.
The design of the car is split into two versions; the first and second versions. The first version of the car will be built mainly by the core members with some assistance from other team members. This is because the project has been integrated into their final year project and the duration of their I.T. The UNIBEN STEP-B PROJECT workshop is being used for the project. However, during the six-month industrial action by the Academic Staff of Union of Universities (ASUU), the fabrication started at private facility to ensure that the Team met its targets. The schedule for the whole manufacturing has been mapped out and by March the first version should be out.
The second version of the car will then commence with an optimization and fine tuning of the first version car to suit the shell eco-marathon competition with the rules strictly adhere to.
TEAM MEMBERS
AKII O. IBHADODE Professor of manufacturing technology (PROJECT SUPERVISOR)
ADEYEMI ADEKOLA BOLUWAJI (TEAM LEADER) WHEELS AND STEERING
TAJ-LIAD ABDULMALIK ADETUNJI (CORE MEMBER) AERODYNAMICS AND CAR SHAPE
OKWOKA DANIEL EJIRO (CORE MEMBER) SUSPENSION AND CAR BALANCE
IBIDAPO FESTUS TOPE (Body Profile)
MONYE ANNE (Interior Design)
ITORO ANIETIE JAMES (Brake and Transmission System)
ORJI JENNIFER ADAKU (Interior Design)
ADEGBOYE VICTOR OLUWAFEMI
ELOGHOSA IYAMU PRECIOUS (Engine fine tuning)
AJARI EMMANUEL (Electrical Wiring and Circuit Analysis)
OYEMIKE CHINEDU JUSTICE (Electronics control)
OSEZUA OBEHI IBHADODE (CAD Design, Structural and Dynamic Analysis)
Malachy Sumaila (Plant fiber composite research/Car bumpers)
PROGRESS SO FAR
Work commenced in June 2013 with an outlay of strategic plan, project analysis and design simulation although, a month later, the ASUU strike posed some setback. The team proceeded from drawing board to hardware in October as the fabrication work began with the making of the frame and chassis. This paved way for other design measures like:
· Installation of the wheel and shock absorbers
· Design of the car steering
· Fixing of the engine, sprocket, cog and chain for drive transmission
· Orientation of the brake system and throttle
On the 12th of December, a major breakthrough was recorded as the car made its first test drive and some design lapses such as tire alignment and brake failure were observed. Various measures were taken to cater for tire alignment until the team resorted to the design and attachment of thedouble wishbone mechanism which solved the problem. The brake failure was eliminated via supplementary additions to the brake system such as the master cylinder and hydraulic reservoir.
Some outstanding electrical circuits have been designed and built by the electrical engineering students in the Team to automate the vehicle. These include electrical ignition circuit, off-track charger circuit, gear selector circuit and others.
On the 23rd of January 2014, an inspection of the project was carried out by the Technical Advisory Team of engineers from Shell Nigeria. The Team offered many useful suggestions on how to improve energy efficiency and ensuring that the competition rules were adhered to. Of particular significance was the Team's suggestion of building the car in modules for de-assembly and re-assembly for low-cost shipment.
With the basic components set in place, the Team has proceeded to the design of the car body and the interior.With a completion target of March 7, 2014, we are sure that the car will be ready for the competition well ahead of time.
Car body under construction; and car being weighed for competition limit
To be properly informed and duly updated, you can contact us onecomarathonuniben@gmail.com
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