FEU Tech students from the Engineering Department are set to fly to Singapore on March 16-19, 2017 to represent the institute and the Philippines in this year's Shell Eco Marathon. More than 100 students from 15 countries across the region will be joining and are bound to build and drive ultra-energy-efficient vehicles.
ow on its second year of participation, FEU Tech is ready to showcase its very own urban concept battery-electric vehicle named iTam Mobile 2.0. The team, under the supervision of Engr. Raymond Joseph Meimban, is composed of electrical engineering students, namely; Mhelton Abletes, Ma. Regiena Alejo, Samantha Bautista, Arvin Catubay, Euzziel Eclarinal, Angelito Espiritu Jr., Virgilio Jay Gabucay, Nikko Garcia, Jerick Maganti, Maynard Pineda, Paolo San Andres and Christopher Villanueva.
Students were able to build a vehicle using Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) technology, an innovation that replaces gears with belt-driven transmission to provide a smooth driving experience and battery-efficient functionality. The body is made of woven cloth, a material that costs the same as fiberglass but much lighter. Its chassis is made of aluminium which the team framed to ensure the lightness and quality of the vehicle.
"The whole team gave its heart in building this car for the same purpose of showing that FEU Tech students are capable of creating remarkable and beneficial innovations. This is our chance, and we will not let this opportunity pass without doing anything," says Engr. Raymond Joseph Meimban, team adviser.
iTam Mobile 2.0 was first launched on January 27 at the FEU Tech Student Plaza to give students a first look of its entry to Shell Eco Marathon 2017. The team aims to ace the marathon and be part of the Drivers World Championship (DWC) grand finals in Europe. Moreover, FEU Tech is positive that this entry is a viable solution to the environmental problem and will further inspire engineers to turn their vision of sustainable mobility into reality, the real essence of the event.