Shell* Eco-marathon Asia begins July 4 in Kuala Lumpur, and Team ITS’ Sapu Angin vehicles will be there to compete on the Sepang International Circuit, among other teams hoping to get the most mileage with the least amount of fuel. Both hailing from Indonesia, ITS Team 1 will join the prototype class with its Sapu Angin 6 vehicle, and ITS Team 2 will join the urban concept class with Sapu Angin 7.
Our team’s vehicles have excellent records at Eco-marathon. In 2010, ITS Team won the combustion grand prize and gasoline fuel award for urban concept powered by internal combustion engine, achieving a fuel efficiency rate of 237.6 kilometers per liter (558.9 miles per gallon) of gasoline. The following year in the same class, the team’s diesel-powered vehicle won two awards again — internal combustion grand prize and alternative diesel fuel award — with efficiency of 149.8 km/l (352.4 mpg) on FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester).
Sapu Angin 7 is our improvement of last year’s winner, Sapu Angin 4. We reduced the total weight and we made the body more aerodynamic. Our target for this year: to travel 300 kilometers on one liter of FAME./Litre of FAME fuel (705.6 mpg).
For Sapu Angin 6, the body is resin reinforced with fiber carbon, which has high strength but is lighter than fiberglass. The chassis is sandwich aluminum honeycomb. Hudha Rencana Panjaitan S.W., who manages efforts on the Sapu Angin 6, notes that the team’s goal of 2,000 km/l (4,704 mpg) is “special … But we are sure we can get to that target.”
On June 7, all of the vehicles from Indonesia that will compete this year were exhibited before President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, various government officials and Shell CEO Peter Voser. Participation in Eco-marathon Asia increased significantly this year, and we will be joined in Malaysia by 17 other teams from Indonesia, along with teams from 17 other countries.
Postscript: Sapu Angin 7 won first prize in Alternative Diesel Urban Concept with 167 km/l. Sapu Angin 7 got fifth prize in Gasoline Prototype with 267 km/l.
*Shell is sponsor of National Geographic’s Great Energy Challenge. National Geographic maintains autonomy over content.
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