The Sapuangin team cheered to receive the first place trophy at the SEM Asia 2019 event

ITS Campus, ITS News – Towards World Class University and as a gift for National Education Day (Hardiknas), Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) once again carve its mark on the world at the 2019 Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) Asia. Take place at Sepang International Circuit, Selangor, Malaysia, three ITS teams successfully brought home the championship trophy in the energy-efficient car competition which lasted for four days since last Monday (4/29).

Following all classes in the Urban Concept category, the three ITS teams successfully raised the trophy in each of these classes. Competing in the car class that uses the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), the Sapuangin Team led by Moch. Hafis Habibi successfully occupied the first most economical car with the acquisition of 395 kilometers per liter of gasoline at the peak of the race on Wednesday (1/5) night local time.

For this Urban Concept class, gasoline fuel, the top three positions are won by teams from Indonesia. Namely in the second and third positions, each was successfully occupied by the Eco Garuda Team from Yogyakarta State University (UNY) and Sadewa Team from the University of Indonesia (UI).

Meanwhile, in the Urban Concept class of electric fuel and hydrogen fuel, the Nogogeni Team and the Antasena Team both managed to rank second. The Nogogeni team, chaired by Ibad Maulana, successfully achieved the savings of its cars with 169 kilometers per kilowatt hours (kWh). Meanwhile, the car from the Antasena Team led by Ghalib Abyan also succeeded in getting a savings of 90 kilometers per cubic meter of hydrogen.

The Nogogeni car runs fast on the Sepang circuit at the 2019 SEM Asia event

The first and third positions of the electricity fuel class were each occupied by the LH-EST Team from Lac Hong University, Vietnam and the Bumi Siliwangi Team from the Indonesian Education University (UPI). While the first and third positions in the hydrogen fuel class were occupied by the Nanyang E Drive Team from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore and the Eco-Planet UiTM Team from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, Malaysia.

Public Relations from the Sapuangin Team, Rafidah Farah Dani, explained that the acquisition of the three ITS teams was the best achievement of ITS in the history of her participation in SEM Asia so far. In addition to that, the Sapuangin Team also got the cleanest paddock (race car parking place or for racer car parking) in this race.

“It was an unexpected and proud thing for us when we got the title (best paddock, red),” said the student of the ITS Business Management Department when contacted via online message.

Sapuangin ITS team and their car at the SEM Asia 2019 event in Sepang, Malaysia

Rafidah, who also acts as the publication coordinator for the ITS Research Car Team, said that there were many challenges that the ITS Team had to face at the SEM Asia 2019 this time. Because the track used is a formula circuit commonly used for world MotoGP races. Besides, there are various twists, often there is also an uphill track. “This is quite dangerous for us (the ITS Team, red),” said the 2016 class student.

Because, according to Rafidah, there were also cars from other teams who suddenly stopped while driving on the uphill track. “But thankfully, all the teams from ITS can finish the race smoothly,” said Rafidah.

Antasena car is in action in the 2019 SEM Asia arena

From its success in entering the top three best, the three ITS Teams have the right to take part in a fast competition in the 2019 Asia Drivers’ Championship (DWC) held at the same place on Thursday (2/5). This competition includes all the top three winners from all categories in SEM Asia to fight together in the event.

From this DWC Asia competition, three fastest teams will be taken to represent Asia at the 2019 DWC Grand Final in London, England. However, if later there are more than one team from one college to qualify in the top three, then only one team will be considered the fastest. “Hopefully, there will be an ITS Team that can represent it to advance to London later,” Rafidah said hopefully. (sof/herdiana/PR ITS)

The three ITS Teams won the championship trophy at the 2019 SEM Asia event