Schurr High School was one of 88 teams from around the world to compete for the title of Most Fuel Efficient Vehicle at the Shell Eco-Marathon. Each team’s vehicle was required to do eight laps around the Sonoma Raceway track for a total distance of 6.12 miles within 24 minutes.
Under automotive instructor Armando Hernandez’s direction, Schurr High School has participated in the Shell Eco-Marathon since 2008. Their competition vehicle this year was powered by liquid petroleum gas and got 227 miles per gallon in the competition.
The Schurr team placed 18th in this year’s competition, ahead of teams from the University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, and UCLA. It was one of two high schools to make qualifying runs, and the only high school west of the Mississippi to do so.
“Some participants from other schools are doctoral students, and others are working at companies as engineers,” Hernandez said. “I’m extremely proud of our team.”
Northern Illinois University of DeKalb, Illinois took home first place in the Internal Combustion Engine Prototype category with their gasoline-powered vehicle achieving 1,524 miles per gallon.
Schurr High School serves about 2,800 students, nearly 90 percent of whom are Hispanic. More than 75 percent of the school’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Regardless of how each team finished in the competition, they are all working toward the goal of building a more sustainable future.
“These students have dedicated countless hours to developing solutions that support a cleaner, lower-carbon energy future,” said Shanna Simmons, Global Technical Director for Shell Eco-Marathon. “The mileage challenge is a platform for students to test their theories on energy efficiency and receive hands-on experience before entering the workforce.”
