UAF Student Compete In Eco-Marathon

UAF engineering students compete to build most eco friendly vehicles

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By KTVA CBS 11

Story Created: Apr 17, 2011 at 6:49 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 18, 2011 at 10:08 AM AKDT

Alaska engineering students are competing in Houston, Texas, to build a greener form of transportation.

First-time competing students from the University of Alaska Fairbanks are there to try out their new electric-powered bicycle.

Yesterday, the UAF students passed the technical inspection phase and made it through the slalom course on their modified bike.

UAF engineering student Allan Spangler said his team bought a recumbent bicycle because they didn't have time to build a frame and just started building the project last week.

Curtis Smith, External Affairs of Shell Oil, said he was impressed with the talent the team exhibited in such a short amount of time,

“They have definitely come from the farthest north university and I can tell you from experience, that's a place you don't get to by accident. You don't stay there unless you're a survivor and I think that encompasses the grit this team has shown just to be here."

Shell Oil's Eco-Marathon is an annual challenge to high school and university engineering students to design, build and drive the most eco-friendly cars and bikes.

Shell has brought 32 teams, a total of 700 students from across the world, to Houston for the event.

Impressive initial results included a design from Laval University in Quebec, Canada, which had a first day average of 2,500 miles per a gallon.

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