Vice Governor of East Java Dr. H Emil Elestianto Dardak BBus MSc (center) at the launch of the ITS Antasena Alpha prototype car

ITS Campus, ITS News – Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) is again preparing to show its achievements at the international level. This time, ready to compete in the prestigious Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) Asia 2022 energy-efficient car event, which will take place next October, ITS Antasena Team introduced its new car prototype called Antasena Alpha Friday (3/6).

The launch, which took place at the ITS Robotics Center Building, was attended directly by Vice Governor of East Java, Dr. H Emil Elestianto Dardak BBus MSc, Head of East Java Provincial Education Office, Dr. Ir Wahid Wahyudi MT, Director of Student Affairs ITS Dr. Imam Abadi ST MT, supervisor of the ITS Antasena Team Sutarsis ST MSc Ph.D., as well as other ITS officials. This launch event introduced new features, changes, and innovations for the ITS Antasena Team car that will compete in SEM 2022.

In his speech, Emil revealed that ITS is one of the universities that never stops innovating. This time by developing a technology that is still relatively new, namely hydrogen-fueled cars. “This innovation is extraordinary, and the East Java government is very enthusiastic about welcoming this and ready to support the ITS Antasena Team. Congratulations and success for the SEM Asia 2022 competition,” he supported.

Vice Governor of East Java, Dr. H Emil Elestianto Dardak BBus MSc, gave his remarks at the launch of Antasena Alpha ITS.

In line with this statement, Imam Abadi said that the team, founded in 2010, continues to gain achievements at the national and international levels. “I hope that the ITS Antasena Team with its Antasena Alpha can again inscribe gold ink in various energy-efficient car competitions to come,” hoped the ITS Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department lecturer.

Meanwhile, regarding the SEM 2022 event itself, Gerald Rafi, General Manager of the ITS Antasena Team, explained that this competition would be divided into three energy categories: internal combustion, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cell. The competition will also be divided into two vehicle classes: prototype and urban concept. “For Antasena Alpha, it will go down in the prototype vehicle category in the hydrogen fuel cell energy category,” he explained.

Gerald Rafi, General Manager of the ITS Antasena Team (left), explains the prototype of the Antasena car in front of the Governor of East Java, Dr. H Emil Elestianto Dardak BBus MSc.

Furthermore, according to this student from the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, hydrogen is projected to replace conventional fuels. What’s more, hydrogen cars do not produce emissions because the output is water. “So we want to create environmentally friendly cars for a better future and support various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programs,” he said.

Antasena Alpha, a Prototype Concept car made by ITS students with hydrogen energy, is the first in Indonesia which has undergone development from the previous generation car. These include Antasena 1, Antasena PX, Antasena PEV, Antasena Orion, Antasena BDV 2.0, Antasena FCH 1.0, and Antasena Hydra.

The Antasena ITS team is assembling the Antasena Alpha prototype car for a test drive.

This second-year student explained that Antasena Alpha was designed with a more aerodynamic body design made of carbon fiber composite, which has lightweight and rigid properties. In addition, Antasena Alpha also uses a ladder frame type chassis made of lightweight and strong aluminum to support a load of around 150 kilograms. “Hopefully, with these modifications, the 8th generation Antasena can become a car that has high efficiency in the SEM Asia 2022 event later,” he concluded. (ITS Public Relation)

The Antasena ITS team with the Antasena Alpha car prototype which is getting ready to compete in the Shell Eco-Marathon 2022

A display of the Antasena Alpha car prototype from the ITS Antasena Team that uses hydrogen as its fuel

Reporter: Tyara Novia Andhin