The record-breaking result is a new electric prototype that the students designed, built and tested themselves over the past year. The car has undergone major design changes. It is lighter, more aerodynamic and uses a number of new technical solutions, from its own battery management system to a new electric motor and improved telemetry. It is the combination of these innovations that allowed the team to achieve its best result in history.
“Our goal was not just to build a new car, but to create the most efficient solution possible. Every gram, every technical detail and every test played its part. We are all the more pleased that we managed to turn our work into a result that exceeded our expectations,” says Illia Melnyk, team leader of the Green Gliders.
Almost 120 teams from 25 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East participated in this year’s European final. High school and university teams competed in electric, hydrogen and combustion-powered vehicles to drive the farthest distance possible on one kilowatt-hour of electricity or one liter of fuel. The Shell Eco-marathon is one of the most prestigious student engineering competitions in the world, promoting engineering skills, teamwork and the development of innovations for the future of mobility.
“Last year was mainly about gathering experience, acquiring know-how and finding strategies to respond to real problems and challenges in the strict and mentally and physically demanding conditions of a real race. This also included seeking inspiration among the most successful solutions of other teams, but also learning from approaches that proved to be dead ends for the opponents or disadvantageous for such a specific type of race.
Our team’s designers, led by their main mentor, Ing. Michal Cenkner, created a vehicle this year that was not only improved and optimized, but was completely new in practically every way compared to last year’s machine. This extensive work was also significantly reflected in the result of the race, in which the team took 12th place. The enormous effort of the entire team turned into a result that brought us closer to the racing teams that are really worth counting on. Of course, in such a demanding race, the luck factor always plays a role, because an unforeseen event or technical failure can occur,” summed up the co-founder of the competition team and Head of the Department of Transportation, Faculty of Transportation, Assoc. Prof. Ing. Petr Bouchner, Ph.D.
About the Shell Eco-marathon
The Shell Eco-marathon is one of the most important student engineering competitions in the world. High school and university students design, construct and test their own vehicles with the aim of driving the longest distance on one liter of fuel or one kilowatt-hour of electricity. The program supports the development of technical skills, teamwork and innovative thinking in finding solutions to future energy challenges.
The history of the competition dates back to 1939, when employees of the Shell Oil Company in the USA made a bet on who could drive the longest distance with the same amount of fuel. The first official Shell Eco-marathon took place in France in 1985, when 25 wooden vehicles took part in the race. Since then, more than 100,000 students from more than 60 countries have participated in the program.
The races are held annually in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. Competitors can choose between the Prototype and Urban Concept categories. The Prototype category is intended for vehicles designed exclusively with the aim of achieving maximum energy efficiency, while the Urban Concept category brings together vehicles that are more similar to conventional cars. Vehicles can be powered by gasoline, diesel, ethanol, hydrogen or electricity. The program will also include an autonomous vehicle competition from 2026, open to teams in both main categories.
2026 also opens a new chapter in the Shell Eco-marathon program. All regional competitions now become part of the qualification for the Shell Eco-marathon Global Championship, which will take place in Doha, Qatar in 2027. In addition to the traditional measurement of energy efficiency, it will also offer new disciplines focused on solving real-world challenges in the areas of mobility, energy and technology.
