Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2011 A Memoir

We had passed through a journey to make a car and run it on the track of Sepang International Circuit. Creating a car is not an easy task, but we, the future engineers made it with all the courage and team work that we had in our team. All the spirit that we had to make the car boosted as we reach the place where we are going to present our car gorgeously. Although we prepared for the marathon for almost ten months, our team members who were selected to be in the garage still had a tough time all along the four days of the Shell Eco-Marathon 2011 event. Passing through all the inspections and procedures were the most important criteria in order to let our car run on the track. It was not just a task of bringing the car and run it. There were inspections done to our car to ensure that the car is save to run on the track. Only seven members of our team were selected to enter the garage accompanied by our lecturer Encik Azli Arifin. The seven were Lee Yaw Choong, Rosilina Binti Mohamed Saleem, Neo Rong Gen, Sek Chong Zhi, Wee San Yee, Wong Len Ken and Mohd Hafiezuddien Bin Burhanuddin.

On the first day the 6th of July 2011, team registration and shifting of our car to the garage at Sepang International Circuit were done. We prepared our car and drivers for the technical inspection. Beside that, track tour was one of the interesting experience we had on the first day at SIC.

Our team leader,Yaw Choong accompanied by two other members registered our team for the marathon

Team members preparing to shift our car to the garage at SIC

Our car in the garage

Our drivers Wee San Yee and Rosilina prepared for the inspections

Dimension check

Safety belt check

Visibility check

It was quit disappointing when our car failed the brekking test in the technical inspection. However, we managed to repair the brekking system and passed the technical inspection on the second day. Then, we moved on for safety inspection where our drivers had to go through the slalom test and brekking test. After passing through both the inspection successfully, we got the two valuable stickers on our car.

Rosilina and Hafiezuddien sticking the technical and safety inspection stickers on our car body

Our first driver, Wee San Yee made the first test run and had a great experience travelling along the SIC North Track with our solar car.

On the third day, the track was open for attempts but weather does not support us as it rained in the morning. We started our attempt in the afternoon. That was the same day where we had a Parade Ride of our beloved solar car. The vice chancellor of UKM, Tan Sri Sharifah Hapsah was present at SIC during the Parade and felt proud that our car had been chosen to represent Malaysia in the Parade. Proud to mention that our car was the only solar car that passed the inspection before the parade.

Proudly flapping Malaysia flag on the solar panels arranged on our car

On the fourth day, the last day, we did our attempts until a maximum of four. Anyhow the weather and the luck did not support us that we got no readings for any attempt that we made. Although it was disappointing, it made us eager to join the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia again next year to make a car with more efficient system that could run further with less energy.

No matter what, we enjoyed ourselves creating the car and being in Sepang for the four days. We made many new friends from other campuses and countries. The most memorable one must be our pretty ambassador, Nguyen Thuy Vy from Vietnam who had been such a sweet friendly person that encouraged us when we fail.

Our team members with our ambassador Vy

UKM-CAR3 team members with the car TUAH

UKM-CAR3 together with UKM-CAR2...The UKM FAMILY


We may not win the race but we got a worthy experience from this event which we might never get somewhere else. All the experiences and the moments that we shared will remain imperishable. A team is not complete without its members and each member of our team played their part from the day the team was built. Lee Yaw Choong, Rosilina, Neo Rong Gen, Sek Chong Zhi, Wee San Yee, Wong Len Ken, Hafiezuddien, Meor Iqram, Mohd Rashdan, Wong Soon Yong, Nurfatihah, Nor Zawani, Attiya, Chan Kien Ho, Khoo Chin Guan, Tan Kian Keong, Ong Yan Jie, Atika, Roslina, Zafidah and Melinda. Each one of you are a part of UKM-CAR3 family. Not forgetting our lecturers, Prof Shahrum, Encik Azli, Encik Azhari, Encik Faizal Tahir, Encik Anas, the technicians, Encik Arif, Encik Kamal, Encik Firdhaus, Encik Hamzah and others. We all together worked on the idea of solar car and made it run. The failure is not to be regretted but to be made reference for the future. Hopefully for the next race we will have a brighter sun that burns like our spirit.

Empowering Possibilities, Inspiring Creativity.