LONDON - Besides winning the Shell Eco-Marathon, the Enschede 'hydrogen students' of the Green Team Twente won the Driver's World Championship and communication award on Friday. The annual competition in London for the most efficient hydrogen car was thus very successful for the team.

The Green Team Twente of the University of Twente and Saxion achieved a fuel consumption of 1 on 760 (242 km on a cubic meter of gas) with the 'Aurora 2'. Inside the hydrogen car is a fuel cell, which turns hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. This is used for the electric motors and drives the wheels.

Team manager Matthias Haalstra: "We have focused a lot on reliability this year and it shows." Driver Yanna Kraakman: "We already had confidence in the car, especially after an earlier race in Oss. But that it would go so well we had not dared to dream. Actually, we got everything possible out of the race."

Luggage space

It is the third time in eight years that Twente has won the Shell Eco-Marathon. The event is one of the world's largest student races, which is all about efficiency rather than speed. In this, Green Team Twente is competing in the UrbanConcept class, where the art is to design a car suitable for city traffic. For example, certain rules must be met, such as having a windshield wiper and a certain amount of luggage space.

Speed

At the Driver's World Championship the best UrbanConcept teams drove against each other at speed, The Green Team Twente eventually crossed the finish line first with a big lead. The cherry on the cake was the communication award. This is an award for communicating the team, the vision and the race itself as extensively as possible.

Green Team Twente consists of 21 UT and Saxion students who are working either full-time or part-time to promote hydrogen. One way they do this is by building an economical hydrogen car, But they also give guest lectures at schools and make educational videos.

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