An electric car from The Electric Car Research Center (ECRC) Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) was ready to compete in Shell Eco-marathon, an international contest on Friday (30/09). The electric car, then, was released with the ECRC team to the West Nusa Tenggara by the Rector, Prof. Dr. Sofyan Anif, M.Si, the Vice Rector III, Ihwan Susila, S.E., M.Si, Ph.D., and the Dean of Engineering Faculty, Rois, Ph.D. in the Siti Walidah Main Building. The Rector symbolically released the car by opening its black cover and handing the helmet over to the driver.

The ECRC UMS will compete in a global academic competition focused on energy optimization of Shell Eco-marathon after it passed the third phase. They will send Ababil Evo III to discover the Mandalika circuit, West Nusa Tenggara. In addition, the competition will be organized on 11-15 October 2022. The Ababil Evo III is the third generation of an electric car that elevates its qualities by improving its positive condition while decreasing the negative ones.

“I remember in the second generation, it won in a Japanese competition and it needs several parts to be fixed. For this third generation, alhamdulillah, it passes the Shell Eco-marathon,” the Rector said.

The competition by Shell is a competition to highlight the most energy-efficient vehicle, not the fastest. “The competition indicator is the energy efficiency, not the race,” said Ir Muhammad Al Fatih Hendrawan, S.T., M.T as the ECRC UMS supervisor accompanied by the Head of Student Affairs Bureau, Cholid Al Ghofari.

Nonetheless, the electric car from ECRC UMS can race at 55 Km/hour. Ababil Evo III also can track for 265,2 KM/kWh. It is an energy-efficient car that prioritizes drivers’ safety with other positive items although it is not included in the assessment. [] UMS