Monday 20 / May / 2024
Muscat: Omani teams participating in the Shell Eco-marathon showed a great gesture of goodwill and unity on Saturday when they helped German University of Technology (GUtech) students make modifications in their car in order to pass the inspection phase.
Due to visa issues, GUtech students arrived late in the Philippines and had missed two days of the international competition.
The GUtech team, named ‘Team Megalodon,’ includes Iranian, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi members. While it finished fifth in 2015, GUtech has a stronger, lighter and more fuel efficient car in the race this year. In the Manila street circuit winners are not decided by speed, but by fuel efficiency.
“The car is built completely from scratch at an estimated cost of OMR6,000 with extensive use of carbon fibre, as it is stronger and lighter than aluminium or steel,” said Adhir Kallingapuram, a student at GUtech, adding that the competition is a great platform for engineering students to show their skills and gain knowledge. Except for the engine, everything is new in this year’s car, the added.
Weighing around 75 kilogram it can travel at 45 kilometres per hour (km/h), according to Mohammed Al Mohammedi, a senior team member. Last year, GUtech’s car had completed 142.7 km on a litre of diesel. “We hope that with our much lighter and improved car we can score a better position than the fifth,” said Azeem Khan, a member of the team.
The other team members are Mohammed Omer, Mobashir Kabir, Mohammad Shiveh, Kesh, Tejas Janardhan, Abdul Aziz Chowdhury, Issa Al Habsi, Mohamed Salman, Mohammed Essam, Navaneeth Sadasivan, Adhir Kallingapuram, Yousef Dak Al Bab, Aymen El Yatmi, and Azeem Khan.
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) recorded a new high score finishing third in the Diesel engine (Prototype category) on Saturday.
