Every year, Penn State competes in the Shell Eco-Marathon design competition where a team of students design, build and drive energy-efficient vehicles. The competition and team are split into two categories: The Urban Concept class and the Prototype class. The Urban Concept class focuses on a practical, drivable vehicle, where comfort and accessories go hand in hand with efficiency. The Prototype class focuses on making a vehicle with extreme fuel efficiency, with comfort and practicality taking a backseat. The Penn State team now only focuses on the Urban Concept class.
The Urban Concept Class:
The Urban Concept class places its focus on making a vehicle that can combine exceptional fuel efficiency with a car that is more practical. The Urban class must have a more complete vehicle which includes ergonomic amenities such as a functional hinged door, driver’s seat, windshield wiper, turn signals, and various other driver-controlled electronic systems. The Urban Concept class accepts entries implementing various fuel sources ranging from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG). This year, the team is working towards a gasoline-powered vehicle achieving an efficiency rating in the 500 MPG area.
The current vehicle has plenty of projects to complete, including the air intake, wiring, exhaust, door redesign, engine tuning and ECU programming, engine fuel supply, and others.