Engineering students at Saskatchewan Polytechnic built a fuel-efficient vehicle with a distinct Canadian element.
The frame of the Sask. Eco Urban Concept car is made from hockey sticks with a 3D printed shell.
“The first time it took off on the track officially the team manager and I were running beside the car. I can’t tell you the feeling. I was so happy,” Jon Lyons, a student who helped build the car, said.
The students’ car placed second at the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas Challenge at the Samona Raceway in California, qualifying the team for the world championship in London, England.
The competition focuses on how fast and far a handmade car can travel with limited fuel. At top speed, the Saskatchewan car clocked in at 59 km/hr.
“If you crunch down the numbers, we got 625 miles per gallon. So, putting that in perspective, we could travel to Regina in just under a litre of fuel,” Andrew Baerg, the faculty advisor on the project, said.
The students, and eight other teams around the globe, are set to compete at the Shell Eco-Marathon Drivers' World Championship in July in London, England.
The winners of the world competition get a trip to Italy to tour and participate in workshops at Ferrari’s headquarters.
