{"organism":"Page","children":[{"organism":"Container.Raw","children":[{"organism":"Metadata","color":"brand1-solid","model":{"title":"Technical tips for Shell Eco-marathon teams","text":"Boost your Shell Eco-marathon performance with these top 5 technical tips. Expert advice for student teams to help you pass the Technical Inspection.","links":[{"name":"Visit Shell Eco-marathon: Technical Tips","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams.html"}],"image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/_jcr_content/root/metadata.shellimg.jpeg/1677674072240/article-list-small-dt.jpeg","alt":"Driver leans on car while talking to teammates","width":736,"height":415},"date":"2023-02-08T12:33:00.000Z"},"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/metadata"},{"organism":"ContentOwner","color":"brand1-solid","model":{},"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/contentowner"},{"organism":"Container.Header","children":[{"organism":"Container.Raw","ref":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/_jcr_content/root/header/inherited.model.json","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/header/inherited","model":{}},{"organism":"Breadcrumb","model":{"links":[{"name":"Home","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/"},{"name":"Stories","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories.html"},{"name":"Shell Eco-marathon: Technical Tips","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams.html"}]},"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/header/breadcrumb"}],"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/header","model":{}},{"organism":"Container.Main","children":[{"organism":"Container.Section","color":"brand2-subtle","children":[{"organism":"PageHeaderBanner","color":"semitransparent","model":{"title":"Technical tips for Shell Eco-marathon teams","image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/_jcr_content/root/main/section/page_header.shellimg.jpeg/1764324160734/article-list-small-dt.jpeg","alt":"Driver leans on car while talking to teammates","width":740,"height":185},"date":"2023-02-08T12:33:00.000Z"},"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/page_header"},{"organism":"Container.Gapless","color":"inherited","colspan":10,"colstart":2,"children":[{"organism":"Author.Info","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/author_copy_copy_cop","model":{"text":"\u003Cp\u003E3 min read\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","links":[{"name":"By Shell Eco-marathon Team"}],"image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/_jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/author_copy_copy_cop.shellimg.jpeg/1682347962523/shell-pecten-image.jpeg","alt":"Shell Pecten","width":384,"height":216}}},{"organism":"PromoSimple.Text","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/text","model":{"title":"Shell Eco-marathon events require dedication and attention to detail. No team wants to be in a position where they’ve put in all the hard work only to fall at the final hurdle of Technical Inspection. Don’t worry, we’re here to help.","text":"\u003Cp\u003EHere, you’ll find technical tips from the Shell Eco-marathon Technical Team, to help you prepare for your event and ace the Technical Inspection.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n"}},{"organism":"PromoSimple.Text","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/text_1293101517","model":{"title":"1. Preparing your team","text":"\u003Cp\u003EBefore you begin to think about designing or building your vehicle, it’s worth getting your team organised and deciding roles and responsibilities within it. This event requires real dedication, so here are a few tips to ensure you’re prepared:\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Col\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDefine your team roles\u003Cbr\u003E\r\n\u003C/b\u003EIt’s important to decide who in your team is responsible for what, so define their roles. Appoint a Team Leader, a Safety Manager, a Logistics Coordinator and a confident Driver. It’s also a great idea to recruit mentors with prior experience.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDefine your project\u003Cbr\u003E\r\n\u003C/b\u003EBefore you get started, your entire team should read the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/about/global-rules.html\"\u003ERules\u003C/a\u003E. If you have any questions about these, please \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/contact-us.html\"\u003Eget in touch with us\u003C/a\u003E. Next, we advise drawing up an accurate budget and fundraising plan. Make sure your budget includes your shipping quotes, and contact your sponsors early on.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBefore shipping\u003Cbr\u003E\r\n\u003C/b\u003EBefore you ship your vehicle, it should be fully built and test-driven. Try to get several hours of driving in a safe location prior to travelling to Shell Eco-marathon. Also, run your own Technical Inspection to be confident your vehicle is compliant before it arrives at the event. We’d urge you to take Technical Inspection very seriously. If your vehicle doesn’t comply with every rule, you won’t get access to the track. Aim to pass Technical Inspection on the first day.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDocuments and communication\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\r\nPlease print the required technical documents, as listed in Article 67 of the Rules, and bring them with you. Digital copies are not accepted. All Shell Eco-marathon Competition Rules and instructions are in English, so please ensure your team manager and driver(s) understand English.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003C/ol\u003E\r\n"}},{"organism":"PromoSimple.Text","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/text_1795203141","model":{"title":"2. Designing a vehicle with safety in mind","text":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile you’ll be thinking of ways to design super energy-efficient vehicle, it’s essential to build a vehicle that keeps your driver safe while they’re at the wheel. Here are some tips that should help.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Col\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EA solid floor\u003Cbr\u003E\r\n \u003C/b\u003EEvery vehicle must have a solid floor that completely separates the driver’s compartment from the road.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThe vehicle body\u003Cbr\u003E\r\n \u003C/b\u003EThe vehicle body needs to fully surround the driver, so no open-top compartments are permitted. The bodywork should have a solid and sturdy construction to protect the driver, so don’t use materials like thin film, cardboard or fabric. The bodywork also needs to cover all mechanical parts when viewed from above.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMake sure there’s a bulkhead\u003Cbr\u003E\r\n \u003C/b\u003EThe vehicle must have a bulkhead to separate your driver from the energy compartment in the event of a fire.\u003C/li\u003E\r\n\u003C/ol\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere also shouldn’t be any manual access from the driver to the energy compartment. The bulkhead should be made from a fire-retardant material like carbon fibre or sheet metal. If you’re using wood, you’ll need to add additional material to the energy compartment, such as aluminium.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMake sure the bulkhead reaches all the way to the top and sides of the vehicle, leaving no gaps between the body cover and the bulkhead. Try to run the wires underneath the bulkhead. If there are any gaps, try to fill them in with fire-retardant material like metal tape and protect the wires from chafing.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAdditional tips for Urban Concept vehicles\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you’re building an Urban Concept vehicle, keep these extra tips in mind: Make sure the wheel covers are integrated into the bodywork. Your driver’s door opening needs a minimum dimension of 500 x 800mm and the chassis and bodywork must not infringe on this space, because the driver needs to be able to exit the vehicle in a quick manner.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBe prepared for your design check\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESubmit your technical drawings, photographs or animations of your entire vehicle in advance, so we can notify you if your design is non-compliant. For more information, make sure you read the Shell Eco-marathon \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/about/global-rules.html\"\u003ERules\u003C/a\u003E early, and \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/contact-us.html\"\u003Eget in touch if you have any questions\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n"}},{"organism":"PromoSimple.Text","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/text_301081513","model":{"title":"3. Roll bars and safety","text":"\u003Cp\u003EUnfortunately, collisions do happen, and we want to make sure every driver is safe at Shell Eco-marathon. Here are the things you should know about roll bars and safety belts.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERoll bars\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf your team’s vehicle rolls over, your driver will be relying on the roll bar for their protection. They must extend beyond the driver’s shoulder when seated in a normal driving position.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe roll bar must have a minimum of a five-centimetre gap around the entire racing helmet. It needs to be strong enough to endure at least a 70kg static load, and we’ll test this by applying this in several different directions during Tech Inspection.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs for its construction, it’s fine to use tubular steel or panel-type roll bars that are integrated into the chassis.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESafety belts\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs for safety belts, we want to see either a five- or six-point belt system with the mounting points fitting to the strongest part of the vehicle and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe waist straps, which normally contain the locking system should be mounted 90 degrees to the floor for a Prototype vehicle, or between 45 and 60 degrees to the floor for an Urban Concept vehicle.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe belt should meet in the centre of the lower abdomen. Crotch straps should be mounted directly below the bottom of the driver’s spine. They may fasten directly into the locking mechanism, or loop through the waist straps and fasten via the shoulder straps.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMake sure the shoulder straps are mounted approximately 10 degrees below the shoulder. Once your driver’s safety belts are tightly fastened and you’ve got the excess straps secured, you should be good to go.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember, these safety measures should be in place before your driver begins practising. Even prior to Shell Eco-marathon. They should also wear their one-piece race suit, protective gloves and helmet. Please practise in a safe area, not on public roads. For more on this, take a look at Articles 26 and 29 in the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/about/global-rules.html\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERules\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/a\u003E.\u003Cb\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n"}},{"organism":"PromoSimple.Text","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple/text_2025459370","model":{"title":"4. Motor controllers for battery-electric vehicles","text":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Battery-Electric vehicles, we have banned store-bought motor controllers so that all teams learn about the requirements of their electric motor. Once the control requirements are understood, individual system components like a single-board control computer and the power driver stage can be specified and integrated into the system.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you want to design your own controller or power stages and integrate them into a printed circuit board (PCB), that’s great, but please ensure that the letters “SEM” are etched onto the PCB to identify the board as custom-built for the Shell Eco-marathon event.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy the way, don’t be tempted to buy a controller and modify it, our eagle-eyed Technical Inspectors will spot it!\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe want you to develop the motor controller yourself, so this also means we outlaw motor controller evaluation kits or the individual kit components, including software.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about motor controllers, please see Article 66 of the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/about/global-rules.html\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERules\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more detailed rules, please find the full Global Rules \u003Ca href=\"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/about/global-rules.html\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003Ehere\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n"}}],"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/simple","model":{}},{"organism":"SectionHeader","color":"inherited","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/section_header","model":{"title":"Related stories"}},{"organism":"PromoCard","color":"brand2","colspan":4,"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/promo_copy_copy_copy","model":{"title":"Collaborative Engineering","text":"Discover how teamwork drives innovation in engineering. Learn about the importance of collaboration in designing and building energy-efficient vehicles.","links":[{"name":"What is collaborative engineering?","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/collaborative-engineering.html"}],"image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/collaborative-engineering/_jcr_content/root/metadata.shellimg.png/1755519484781/collaborative-engineering-shell-eco-marathon.png","alt":"A group of young people cheering and high-fiving in celebration.","width":3840,"height":2160}}},{"organism":"PromoCard","color":"brand2","colspan":4,"colstart":5,"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/promo_copy_copy_copy_1783302010","model":{"title":"Empowering Women in STEM","text":"Meet Tala Zaim, an engineer from the all-woman team from Qatar University, as she talks about how they are empowering women in engineering.","links":[{"name":"Empowering Women in STEM","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/gernas-e-on-empowering-women-in-stem-qatar-university.html"}],"image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/gernas-e-on-empowering-women-in-stem-qatar-university/_jcr_content/root/metadata.shellimg.jpeg/1707750679153/gernas-e-on-empowering-women-in-stem-qatar-university-promo.jpeg","alt":"A group of women standing in front of a race paddock.","width":3840,"height":2160}}},{"organism":"PromoCard","color":"brand2","colspan":4,"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/promo_copy_copy","model":{"title":"H2Polito on the importance of a telemetry system","text":"\u003Cp\u003ELearn how H2Polito built their own telemetry systems and how this helps the team achieve energy-efficiency.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n","links":[{"name":"The Importance of a Telemetry System","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/h2polito-telemetry-system.html"}],"image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/h2polito-telemetry-system/_jcr_content/root/metadata.shellimg.jpeg/1695799760359/h2-polito-telemetry.jpeg","alt":"H2Polito on the importance of a telemetry system","width":3840,"height":2160}}},{"organism":"Container.Gapless","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section/experience_fragment","model":{}}],"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main/section","model":{}}],"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/main","model":{}},{"organism":"Container.Footer","children":[{"organism":"Breadcrumb.Large","model":{"links":[{"name":"Home","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/"},{"name":"Stories","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories.html"},{"name":"Shell Eco-marathon: Technical Tips","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams.html"}]},"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/footer/breadcrumb"},{"organism":"Container.Raw","ref":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/_jcr_content/root/footer/inherited.model.json","id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/footer/inherited","model":{}}],"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content/root/footer","model":{}}],"id":"/conf/shell/settings/wcm/templates/base/structure/jcr_content/root","model":{}}],"model":{"title":"Technical tips for Shell Eco-marathon teams","text":"Boost your Shell Eco-marathon performance with these top 5 technical tips. Expert advice for student teams to help you pass the Technical Inspection.","date":"2023-02-08T12:33:00.000Z","links":[{"name":"canonical","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams.html"},{"name":"errorUrl","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/error.html"},{"name":"hierarchy","value":"en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams"},{"name":"homeTitle","value":"Shell Eco-marathon"},{"name":"homeUrl","value":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/"},{"name":"locale","value":"en-GB"},{"name":"title","value":"Technical tips for Shell Eco-marathon teams | Shell Eco-marathon"},{"name":"textDirection","value":"ltr"},{"name":"template","value":"base"},{"name":"contentPath","value":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams"},{"name":"externalDisclaimerText","value":"Shell International Limited Legal Disclaimer\r\n\r\nYou are now leaving the Shell Eco-marathon website.\r\n\r\nThe link you have selected will direct you to a website that is not controlled by Shell International Ltd. or any member of the Shell Group. Accordingly, neither Shell International Ltd nor any member of the Shell Group endorses, adopts, certifies or otherwise validates the information and material contained on the linked website. This includes its sponsor and any policies, activities or services offered on the site, by any advertiser on the site or linked to the site.\r\n\r\nThank you for visiting the Shell Eco-marathon website."},{"name":"themeMode"},{"name":"lastModified","value":"2025-12-01T15:38:44.690Z"},{"name":"adobeAnalyticsUrl","value":"https://scmetrics.shell.com/b/ss/shell.amidala.nativeimplementation.poc/0"},{"name":"themeName","value":"eco-marathon"},{"name":"themePath","value":"/etc.clientlibs/amidala/clientlibs/theme-eco-marathon"},{"name":"themeCss","value":"/etc.clientlibs/amidala/clientlibs/theme-eco-marathon.ACSHASH9a9578ee3ad8d412c44e038777fa8cfc.css"}],"image":{"src":"https://www.shellecomarathon.com/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/_jcr_content/root/metadata.shellimg.jpeg/1677674072240/article-list-small-dt.jpeg","alt":"Driver leans on car while talking to teammates","width":736,"height":415}},"id":"/content/shell/business/shellecomarathon/en_gb/stories/5-technical-tips-for-shell-eco-marathon-teams/jcr_content"}