Members of USC Team Lahutay with their vehicle.
grabbed from USC Team Lahutay’s FB page
THE UNIVERSITY of San Carlos (USC) Team Lahutay is taking its setback in the Shell Eco-Marathon Philippines 2017 positively, vowing to bounce back in the next edition of the ultimate-energy-efficiency challenge.
The Cebuano team finished fourth place in the Internal Combustion Engine Prototype category last weekend at the Clark International Speedway in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Though the team was the first team to pass the technical inspection, Team Lahutay just could not get it going as it finished with a mileage of 117.1 kilometers to a single liter of fuel. Though it was an improvement from their 105.8 km/L mark in their third-place finish in the Asian leg of this very same competition last year, it still failed to reach their expected target of over 150 kilometers.
But not a single tear was shed as the team held its head high and vowed to do better.
“There’s no time for slacking off! We will come back stronger! See you at SEM-Ph 2018!” the group posted in its Facebook page.
The Shell Eco-marathon challenges student teams around the world to design, build and drive the most energy-efficient cars.
USC Team Lahutay is a group of individuals who are committed to innovation, said team manager Kylle Despi during a press launch last week.
Despi said that several factors played a part in their fourth place finish.
“First, the track was a lot different than what we were used to. There were uphill slopes that led us to consume more fuel to propel our vehicle,” she explained. “In addition, there were electronic glitches in the middle of the run that always occurred. In one of our best attempts, our driver was forced to stop and evacuate the vehicle due to smoke appearing in the cockpit. The smoke was caused by the loosening of the engine exhaust.”
Future auto industry leaders
Isuzu Cebu Inc. is one of the team’s chief supporters. Despite the fourth-place finish, Isuzu Cebu general manager Steve Gingco expressed his admiration for the heights the team has reached in such short a time.
Isuzu Cebu is sharing its support in line with its corporate social responsibility program, which includes promoting innovation and improved fuel efficiency.
“Isuzu Cebu Inc. believes these students are the future leaders in the auto industry. We hope that they can be better innovators, better leaders and we are one with their vision in providing better transport solutions. We will continue to support them by providing mentorship and consultancy in their future endeavors,” Gingco said.
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