Bonus Challenge Alert: Your first chance to gain valuable bonus points on the Virtual League! Join Norman Koch for a LIVE YouTube Quiz where we'll test your knowledge of all things Shell Eco-marathon! Coming up on January 21, click on the link to find out the details.
Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s leading student engineering competitions. Over the past 35 years, the programme has consistently brought to life Shell’s mission of powering progress together by providing more and cleaner energy solutions. The global academic programme brings together Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) students from across the globe to design, build and operate some of the world’s most energy-efficient vehicles. All in the name of collaboration and innovation, as students’ bright ideas help to shape a lower carbon future for all.
Duration: 2:28 minutes
Showcasing the Shell Eco-marathon, a student engineering competition focused on providing a platform for innovation with the goal of producing greater energy efficiencies in Shell’s journey towards a lower carbon energy future.
[Background music plays]
The Sound of Shell adaptations.
[Animated sequence]
Text transitions into frame, displayed against a white and yellow background. A red dot is used in all instances of the letter “i” and this continues throughout the video clip. In lower frame left, a black and white archival still shot shows two men standing next to a vintage car. Graphical devices appear and animate in upper frame-centre, showing a lightbulb line drawing with lines radiating out from the top of the bulb.
[Audio]
Electronic beeping sounds. Whoosh sounds accompany slide transitions throughout the video.
[Text displays]
80 years ago, two Shell employees had an idea
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to text displayed against a white background. Graphical devices appear and animate onscreen, with dashed yellow lines moving from upper to lower frame, denoting road markings. A car icon displays below the text.
[Audio]
Engine starting, tyres squealing.
[Text displays]
How far could they travel on one gallon of fuel?
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to text displayed against a yellow background.
[Text displays]
That simple idea grew into an annual challenge
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to text displayed against a white background. In lower frame, a black and white archival still shot shows a driver in the cockpit of an Eco-marathon vehicle.
[Text displays]
In 1985 it officially became Shell Eco-marathon
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to text displayed against a yellow background. In upper frame, black and white archival footage shows an Eco-marathon vehicle entering at frame-left and crossing to exit at frame-right.
[Audio]
Crowd cheering.
[Text displays]
The current world record is 8,870 mpg (US)
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to text displayed against a white background. Graphical devices appear and animate onscreen, showing icons of iconic buildings at upper frame-left and lower frame-right, Big Ben in London and the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, with a snaking yellow line connecting the two cities.
[Text displays]
The equivalent of London to Shanghai
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to text displayed against a white and yellow background.
[Text displays]
Welcome to Shell Eco-marathon
Interview with Norman Koch
[Title]
General Manager Shell Eco-marathon
[Norman Koch]
Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s leading student engineering competitions for energy efficiencies. Students from all over the world come here to design, build and test drive the world’s most fuel efficient vehicles.
[Video footage]
We begin on a close-up of the green starting flag being waved at the race circuit. We then see shots of two different Shell Eco-marathon vehicles on the track. We cut to talking head footage of Norman Koch, seen against the background of the racetrack. This is followed by a video montage of Shell Eco-marathon scenes, including drivers, cars, the race circuit and various Eco-marathon teams.
Interview with Dean Aragon
[Title]
CEO Shell Brands International & VP Brand
[Dean Aragon]
The Shell Eco-marathon is where we challenge bright young minds to crack the future of mobility.
[Text displays]
Bright Young Minds
[Video footage and animated sequence]
Successive text together with a lightbulb icon displays over close-up footage of a team member working on an engine.
[Video footage]
Talking head footage of Dean Aragon, seen against the background of the racetrack.
[Dean Aragon]
Where we can all bring the best of the best together.
[Text displays]
Brilliant minds coming together to build a lower carbon world.
[Video footage]
We are again showed a video montage of Shell Eco-marathon scenes, including drivers, cars, the race circuit and various Eco-marathon teams.
[Video footage and animated sequence]
Text along with an animated burst of radiating white lines and bubbles displays over footage of an Eco-marathon vehicle racing on the track.
Interview with John Abbott
[Title]
Shell Downstream Director 2013 - 2020
[John Abbott]
It’s a great opportunity for us to explore ideas.
[Text displays]
Explore ideas
[Video footage]
Talking head footage of John Abbot, seen against the background of the racetrack, followed by front-view footage of team members in the garage, carrying the body of an Eco-marathon vehicle.
Interview with Dean Aragon continued
[Dean Aragon]
This is a genuine desire to collaborate with some of the world’s best thinkers in this space. We want to be challenged.
[Video footage]
Talking head footage of Dean Aragon, seen against the background of the racetrack, followed by a video montage of Shell Eco-marathon scenes, including drivers, cars, the race circuit and various Eco-marathon teams.
[Audio]
Crowd clapping.
Interview with Norman Koch continued
[Norman Koch]
Just walking through the paddock, seeing 150 teams working on such varied technical solutions like…
[Audio]
Crowd cheering.
[Video footage]
Next, we zoom in to panning aerial footage of cars lined up on the Shell Eco-marathon race track, followed by a close-up of the start lights as they change from red to green. We see a rapid series of aerial shots of Shell Eco-marathon vehicles on the track. We transition to talking head footage of Norman Koch, seen against the background of the racetrack. Next, we see a group shot of the cheering teams standing behind their parked Eco-marathon vehicles, flying their respective countries’ flags. We see a driver in close-up in his cockpit, pulling his helmet’s visor down in readiness to race. Medium angle footage shows a team surrounding their vehicle as they work on it. We see close-up footage of a spinning wheel, team members working in the background.
[Norman Koch]
Ultra-efficient gasoline engines, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles or battery electric cars gives us a glimpse of what the future is looking like.
[Text displays]
Ultra-efficient gasoline engines
Hydrogen fuel cell
Battery Electric Cars
[Video footage]
Successive text displays on-screen over a video montage of teams working on their vehicles, of the gasoline, hydrogen and battery systems powering their cars, as well as of vehicles on the racetrack and of drivers waving and giving thumbs up signals from the cockpits of their vehicles, as well as of another driver running towards, high-fiving and hugging a teammate.
[Text displays]
10,000 students
700 universities
From 52 countries
[Split-screen footage]
A grid of screens fills the frame, displaying miscellaneous footage of Eco-marathon vehicles, teams, drivers, spectators, etc. The footage displayed in the screens changes each time new text displays over the screens.
Interview with Gretchen Watkins
[Title]
Shell US Country Chair
[Gretchen Watkins]
These are the students that are going to be the designers, the builders, the creators of tomorrow.
[Text displays]
Designers Builders Creators
[Split-screen footage]
The frame splits into two. In frame-left, we see aerial footage of the Eco-marathon vehicles lined up on the track. In frame-right, we see talking head footage of Gretchen Watkins.
[Video footage]
Video montage shows various drivers, teams and vehicles in turn.
[Text displays]
Held across 4 continents and 9 locations
[Audio]
Electronic beeping.
[Animated sequence]
Slide transition to lines of text successively moving up into frame, displayed against a blue background with a grid pattern of energy-related icons linked by a criss-crossing network of broken white lines.
[Text displays]
USA
[Video footage]
Bird’s eye view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
[Text displays]
Brazil
[Video footage]
Bird's eye view of the statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro.
[Text displays]
UK
[Video footage]
Time-lapse footage of City Hall, London, with Tower Bridge in the background.
[Text displays]
Malaysia
[Video footage]
Bird's eye view of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the city in the background.
[Text displays]
China
[Video footage]
Bird’s eye view of the Shanghai financial district with the Huangpu river in the foreground.
Interview with Norman Koch continued
[Norman Koch]
They really push the boundaries of how we use energy.
[Text displays]
Push the boundaries
[Video footage]
Text transitions into frame, displayed over footage of Eco-marathon vehicles passing on the race track.
Interview with John Abbott continued
[John Abbott]
What I would really like to see is that some of these ideas develop into commercial opportunities. So turning innovation into action.
[Text displays]
Innovation
Action
[Video footage]
We see a video montage of Shell Eco-marathon race scenes, showing drivers and vehicles on the track as well as teams on the side-lines and working in the background. Successive text displays over talking head footage of John Abbot, seen against the background of the race circuit.
[Video footage]
We see low-angle footage from the centre of a team huddle of chanting team members. Close-up footage shows spectators doing a Mexican wave at the racetrack and cheering. Medium angle footage shows a team standing around their vehicle, arms raised in victory.
Interview with Dean Aragon continued
[Dean Aragon]
Our vision is to make sure that the Shell Eco-marathon becomes the biggest platform for innovations on the future of energy of a lower carbon energy future.
[Video footage]
Innovations
[Video footage]
We see a video montage of various Shell Eco-marathon vehicles on the race track interspersed with shots of the drivers posing beside their vehicles, a team pushing a vehicle at the circuit, and a team celebrating onstage while confetti rains down.
[Dean Aragon]
If that doesn’t inspire us, I don’t know what will.
[Video footage]
Talking head footage of Dean Aragon seen against the background of the race circuit.
[Video footage]
We see two successive group shots, taken from different angles, of Eco-Marathon teams cheering and celebrating on stage. Finally, we see aerial footage of the Shell Eco-marathon vehicles and teams on the skid pan at Mercedes-Benz World which, at its centre, is branded with a Shell Pecten and “#MakeTheFuture” painted wording.
[Audio]
Crowd cheering sounds.
[Audio]
Shell brand mnemonic played on keys.
[Graphic]
Shell Pecten centred over aerial footage of the racetrack with text displaying below.
[Text displays]
#MakeTheFuture
© Shell International Limited 2020
Shell Eco-marathon is one of the world’s leading student engineering competitions. Over the past 35 years, the programme has consistently brought to life Shell’s mission of powering progress together by providing more and cleaner energy solutions. The global academic programme brings together Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) students from across the globe to design, build and operate some of the world’s most energy-efficient vehicles. All in the name of collaboration and innovation, as students’ bright ideas help to shape a lower carbon future for all.
Teams can choose to design and build one of two different car types:
Teams can then choose between three energy categories for their car:
In 2021, Shell Eco-marathon is adopting a hybrid model comprising definitively of virtual elements, and where possible, on-track elements. This structure will allow for maximum flexibility to adjust to prevailing safety and travel conditions due to COVID-19, while still ensuring a robust Shell Eco-marathon offering in 2021.
The Virtual Programme of the Shell Eco-marathon programme for 2021 consists of five component competitions, which are all part of a global Virtual League. Participating teams will be able to earn points via any of the five component competitions that they choose to take part in and will be globally ranked. The Virtual League consist of the following component competitions as defined in Article 90 and Article 91 in Section 6 of the Shell Eco-marathon 2021 Global Rules, Chapter I:
Pitch the Future
Autonomous Programming Competition
Bonus Challenges
Virtual Off-Track Awards (See Section 6B of the Chapter I Rules)
Virtual Technical Inspection (See Section 6A of the Chapter I Rules)
The specific dates and rules for each component competition yet undefined in Chapter I will be announced in due course.
Participation in each Virtual League component competition is voluntary, but participation in the Virtual Technical Inspection is a necessary pre-requisite for application to any on-track event in 2021, should they take place.
Find out more information about the Virtual Programme.
Achievements in the Virtual League component competitions will gain teams points in the ranked global Virtual League table. The points will be awarded as defined in Article 91 of the Shell Eco-marathon 2021 Global Rules, Chapter I.
Where and when it is safely possible to host physical events, the On-track Programme will include the new Mini Shell Eco-marathon competition. Still based on the traditional mileage challenge format, these will be smaller, more accessible events to take place across the regions, in line with the required global and local health and safety guidelines.
Find out more information about the On-track Programme.
For the 2021 On-track Programme, priority will be given to all teams who were selected for Phase 3 in the 2020 Regional programmes (Americas, Europe and Asia). In addition, for any on-track event, participation in the Virtual Technical Inspection is mandatory. If there are more applications than physical team slots available, the Virtual Technical Inspection results will be used as part of the Team selection criteria. Refer to the Shell Eco-marathon 2021 Global Rules, Chapter I for more information.
Yes, the Mini Shell Eco-marathon competitions are open to all teams, new and experienced. We will endeavor to accommodate as many teams as possible at the events, however, please note that priority will be given to all teams who were selected for Phase 3 in the 2020 Regional programmes (Americas, Europe and Asia) should applications exceed the number of physical places at the events.
To ensure appropriate social distancing measures are followed, a maximum of 10 people per team, including faculty advisors and chaperones, will be allowed at any physical event we may have. Refer to each competition page and its specific set of rules, Chapter II, for final confirmation of capacity and requirements for each venue.
Prize money will be awarded for each of the individual Virtual League components excluding the Bonus Challenges, where you can earn extra points (see Chapter I, Section 7). There will also be prize money awarded for the Mini Shell Eco-marathon competitions. For more information on prizes and awards, refer to the Chapter II rules to be published for each of the competitions in the 2021 season.
General registration is open from September 7 to October 14, 2020 for all regions. You must register for your chance to take part in any of the virtual components, including Virtual Technical Inspection. Please note that the registration for the first of our activities, Pitch the Future, will close on September 30, 2020.
Specific registration for on-track events will open closer to the event dates next year; however, you must ensure you are already registered for Virtual Technical Inspection to be considered for on-track events.
Yes, individual submission pages will be available for each virtual competition and you can register up to 20 team members.
Yes, there will be certificates available after each Virtual League activity for individual team members as well as team certificates.
As the global impacts of COVID-19 continue to evolve, the safety and health of our Shell Eco-marathon participants and organising teams remains our top priority.
In 2021 we will continue to monitor developments closely to determine the safest approach. We will evaluate events on a case-by-case basis and using the best information available and will only proceed with events when we are confident that all reasonable controls can be implemented.
Agility is one of the world’s leading logistics companies and is recognised in the top 4% of the logistics industry for environmental sustainability.
Agility supports Shell Eco-marathon participants by safely and efficiently delivering their vehicles to competition locations around the world.
Altair is a global technology company that provides software and cloud solutions in product development, high performance computing (HPC) and data analytics.
Altair is proud to support Make the Future by supplying licenses, training and support for Altair HyperWorks™ to all teams competing in the Shell Eco-marathon events.
Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks is a global leader in 3D computer-aided design software to enable businesses and people to imagine sustainable innovations, and is recognised as one of the world’s most sustainable companies.
Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks supports Make the Future with sponsorship of the Shell Eco-marathon.
Southwest Research Institute® is a not-for-profit research and development organisation that works with government and industry to provide solutions to some of the world’s most challenging scientific and engineering problems.
SWRI supports Shell Eco-marathon by providing technical inspection expertise as well as off-track technical innovation award sponsorship.
HP’s vision is to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere: every person, every organization, and every community around the globe.
HP supports Shell Eco-marathon by providing IT infrastructure to support the delivery of the programme.