Celebrating its 39th year, the Shell Eco-marathon (SEM) is an international competition pushing students to their engineering limits by challenging them to design and build energy-efficient cars over the course of a year. It’s a gathering uniting students from around the world to collectively push the boundaries of energy efficiency.
This year, the competition includes three exciting regional championships and two local events, offering a platform for the next generation of innovators.
The 2024 season will test the creativity, technology, and engineering skills of young participants as they design and build energy-efficient vehicles. This event is a chance for these bright minds to showcase their talents both on and off the track, redefining what’s possible in sustainable transportation.
As representatives from Brunei Darussalam, the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) SEM team is gearing to represent Brunei at the prestigious SEM Asia-Pacific and the Middle East 2024.
This year, the highly anticipated event will be held from July 2-6 at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in Lombok, Indonesia.
The UBD team is ready to showcase their innovative vehicle alongside talented teams from across the region, all striving to drive the future of sustainable transportation.
Brunei’s representation at the event will be led by Team Belia Tabah, spearheaded by Hifdzur Azmin bin Haji Mohd Zain. Joining him are teammates Ahmad Muzakker bin Haji Khalid, Muhammad Ahmad Hasyer bin Sulong, Muhammad Aqil Nuruddin bin Janeil, Iman bin Abdul Walid, Fatin Amanina binti Haji Abd Azis, Raihani binti Muhammad Rafie, and Amal Nabillah binti Haji Abd Aziz.
Together, they’ll be showcasing their vehicle, named ‘Mekar’.
UBD SEM team leader, Hifdzur Azmin, revealed that after a year of dedicated effort, students gather at an international location for the competition.
Here, their vehicles undergo rigorous testing, competing on urban circuits to determine which vehicle can travel the farthest distance with the least amount of energy.
At UBD, the SEM project engages students from various multidisciplinary backgrounds, each contributing unique skills and knowledge. This competition serves as a catalyst for fostering innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and communication skills among participants. These goals align closely with the university’s commitment to offering students experiential learning opportunities and fostering entrepreneurial thinking.
Participating in SEM equips students with essential workplace skills such as resourcefulness and teamwork, preparing them for their careers after graduating from UBD. This aligns with the university’s motto of ‘Futuring Together’ and Brunei Vision 2035.
“Alhamdulillah, this year we’ve successfully completed the construction of the seventh electric vehicle at UBD for the competition, which we’ve named ‘Mekar’,” shared the team leader.
“It has been a challenging journey over the past 10 months. Belia Tabah encountered a myriad of difficulties, particularly in coordinating schedules among team members due to their varied commitments,” he explained.
“The team also experienced occasional disputes, a natural occurrence in group dynamics. However, we’ve successfully navigated through these challenges, and they’ve only served to strengthen our bond as a team,” he shared.
He elaborated that Mekar – the culmination of 10 months of intense dedication and hard work, not only from the eight team members of Belia Tabah but also from their dedicated supervisors and numerous volunteers – was meticulously designed, developed, and manufactured by Belia Tabah with a forward-thinking vision.
“Our aim is not only to promote sustainability by minimising material waste but also to facilitate future UBD teams’ learning process. By continually improving and upgrading an existing vehicle, we provide the next generations with opportunities for seamless learning and advancement.
“The name ‘Mekar,’ translating to ‘blossom’ in English, symbolises the dawn of a new era. This vehicle embodies the innovation and creativity of our student team members who collaborated to bring it to life.”
Hifdzur Azmin added that their participation in SEM imparts essential qualities to students, aligning with Brunei’s aspiration towards Brunei Vision 2035, which in turn cultivates a generation of highly knowledgeable, skilled and successful youth ready to tackle global challenges with confidence. The team leader emphasised that with the support of their sponsors, they’ve achieved a remarkable 70 per cent reduction in the vehicle’s total weight compared to its predecessor.
This significant decrease enhances its efficiency and manoeuvrability, ensuring a competitive edge during competitions.
“Utilising carbon fibre reinforced polymer for 90 per cent of the vehicle’s body, coupled with advanced components like an upgraded motor, our goal has been to enhance both performance and efficiency,” he elaborated.
“These advancements highlight not just our team’s dedication to innovation, but also underscore the pivotal role of our sponsors’ support in pushing the boundaries of sustainable innovation within the competition arena and advancing towards our sustainable development goals.”
Explaining the significance of the team name, he continued, “Belia Tabah embodies resilience and perseverance, as reflected in our team slogan, ‘Bejarih dahulu, bekarih sentiasa, belurih kemudian‘. Bejarih signifies the determination to pursue a goal, while bekarih represents the commitment to work tirelessly for it. Belurih, on the other hand, signifies the eventual reward reaped from our efforts.” – Adib Noor
