Racing ahead with spirit
The team celebrating their Spirit of Shell Eco-marathon award win.
Hyperion Racing (also known as SEM Team Monash within the university’s administration) from our School of Engineering has achieved an incredible milestone at the Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2025, held at the Lusail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar, from 8 to 12 February 2025. Competing against top universities, the team secured the Spirit of Shell Eco-marathon award, which comes with a USD 3,000 cash prize.
This year, 15 members represented the team: Shoandeep Radhakrishnan, Mustafa Ahmed Khan, Ng Zhan Ian, Ryan Wong Ke Yuan, Andrew Joseph Ng Man Loong, Chan Kah Yi, Omar Medhat Solieman, Ivan Hoo Wey Jung, Kaira Noor Azwa, Wee Jun Xi, Loong Joon Kit, Isaac Thong Fangjie, Nicol Soo Wei Jia, Puteri Arisya Diana Binti Aznir, and Joanne Youssel Rahmanto. Meanwhile, Dr Darwin Gouwanda served as the team advisor, and Muhammad Nasuha Bin Mazha (Senior Technical Officer) provided additional support.
The Shell Eco-marathon is a prestigious energy-efficiency engineering competition, challenging students to design, build, and race energy-efficient vehicles. It is held annually across three regions, Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Europe and Africa, and the Americas. This year’s event saw participation from around 60 student teams from countries such as Indonesia, India, Korea, China, Pakistan, Qatar, Philippines, Thailand and other countries around the region.
The competition focused on energy efficiency, with teams competing to complete four consecutive laps around the circuit while consuming the least amount of energy. In addition to the main race categories, Shell also recognised outstanding teams with off-track awards, including the Spirit of Shell Eco-marathon award that the team proudly secured.
The team earned this award through their Pet Shell Adoption Centre initiative, which saw them creating and distributing custom-made shells with unique drawings and faces to other teams and event staff. This gesture embodied the spirit of friendly competition and earned them recognition for their sportsmanship.
The team posing with their battery-electric prototype vehicle along with a Monash University Malaysia flag, the flag of Malaysia, the Hyperion Racing flag, the Pet Shell Adoption Centre cardboard sign, as well as the Spirit of Shell Eco-marathon cheque at the Lusail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.
Preparation for this year’s competition began immediately after last year’s event, which was held at Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in Lombok, Indonesia, from 2 to 6 July 2024. Over the course of six months, the team designed and built their battery-electric prototype vehicle, with 90 per cent of the vehicle being constructed from scratch. One of their primary challenges was developing a compact and lightweight vehicle that met competition regulations.
Despite their success, the journey was anything but easy. The team encountered several technical and logistical challenges upon arriving at the venue, including motor overheating issues that prevented them from completing certain runs. However, through grit and determination, they overcame these setbacks and achieved a valid run. Coming off a tough outing at Lombok 2024, the team was determined to redeem themselves in 2025. Their efforts paid off as they secured a top 10 placement in the competition and emerged as the top Malaysian team while also being the only team from Malaysia to successfully complete a valid run.
Beyond the technical aspects, the team also had to navigate logistical and financial challenges. Planning sponsorships, flights, accommodations, and vehicle transport took three additional months. Finding budget-friendly flights and lodging was particularly tricky due to fluctuating prices and limited availability. The team also had to arrange for the vehicle’s transport from Monash University Malaysia to the circuit, local transportation within Doha, and meal planning for breakfast and dinner.
When asked about their future goals, the team expressed their determination to become the champion in the battery-electric category while also securing as many off-track awards as possible.
With this achievement, the university continues to solidify its reputation as a leader in engineering education. Competitions like the Shell Eco-marathon provide students with invaluable hands-on experience, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications.