All revved up: Futuristic electric cars make debut on track in eco-marathon

Mangalore Today News Network

Petrolheads flocking to the British Grand Prix this weekend can get all revved up at this stunning line of new electric cars ahead of their trip to Silverstone.

More than 1,000 engineering students and tutors across Asia showcased futuristic motors at the Shell-Eco Marathon in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Asian leg of the annual contest, launched by the oil giant to inspire innovation in transport, pitted some of the brightest minds on the continent against each other on and off the track.

Hypnotising design: Team Innogen KMITL V.1 from Thailand drew an audience as they sped around the track

Knight Rider: This space-aged design by a team from Singapore’s Ngee Ann Polytechnic caught the eye at Shell’s Eco-Marathon

Teams were tasked to build and drive a vehicle that can travel the furthest distance on the least amount of fuel and lowest possible emissions.

Budding engineers, from universities across Asia, entered vehicles into two categories - either prototype or urban concept - at Kuala Lumpur’s Sepang International Circuit.

track in either the electric class, using hydrogen fuel cells, solar and plug in battery power sources, or the internal combustion class, for gasoline and diesel.

Drivers were forced to attain an average speed of at least 15mph over a distance of 10 miles.

electric car 3
On-track: Eco-racers from across Asia lined up before their green marathon

The teams pulled out all the stops with their futuristic designs and colourful paint work including flames, lightning bolts, paint blobs and squiggles.

One car looked like a cross between a spaceship and David Hasselhoff’s heavily modified Pontiac Trans Am from Knight Rider.

It’s a belter: The Ayuthaya Technical Commercial College in Thailand showcased their conveyer belt-like design

The design by Singapore’s Ngee Ann Polytechnic was a dead ringer for the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT) - with its black body paint, tinted windows and sharp angles.

Another car, by a team from Thailand’s Ayuthaya Technical College, appeared to have a conveyer belt on top.

Painting the track: Team NUS Urban Concept from Singapore during day three of the competition

Jump for joy: Team Luk Jao Mae Khlong Prapa from Thailand’s Dhurakij Pundit University celebrate after their victory

Green power: A driver from the Polytechnic State of Pontianak in Indonesia just fits inside his team’s innovative design

This driver from Malaysia pushes his vintage creation to the maximum Kuala Lumpur’s Sepang International Circuit

Lampang Rajaphat Universtiy from Thailand parade their space-age car

Green machine: Donmuang Technical College’s three-wheeled eco-car

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