Students of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) in Delta State made the country proud when they displayed their innovation at the Shell Eco Marathon held at Zwartkorp Race Track in South Africa.
The event was hosted by the School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Johannesburg to enhance students’ innovative skills. Participants, who are Electrical and Electronics and Mechanical Engineering students, were challenged to design, build and drive energy-efficient automobiles.
The FUPRE team held members of the audience spellbound with their expertise, designing a lead-free energy-efficient car named Delta Cruz.
They won Shell Unleaded Gasoline Prototype prize with a staggering result of 55.9 km/l of fuel per litre. They also won the Technical Innovation award.
The FUPRE Team beat 11 others to win the contest. Four Nigerian universities, including FUPRE, participated in the competition. Other schools are University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).
The Eco-Marathon is sponsored by Shell Petroleum Development Company yearly to develop the innovative skills of students and to promote use of eco-friendly technology