Racing Toward Sustainability: University of Alberta EcoCar Team's Journey

The Shell Eco-Marathon challenges student teams worldwide to design, build, and drive vehicles that push the limits of fuel efficiency. Among these passionate innovators is the University of Alberta's EcoCar Team, a group of dedicated students leading the way in hydrogen fuel cell technology. Swagelok Edmonton is a proud sponsor.

Fueling the Shell Eco-Marathon

The Shell Eco-Marathon isn't your typical race. Instead of focusing on speed, it's all about efficiency. Teams compete in categories based on different energy types like hydrogen fuel cells, battery electric, gasoline, and diesel. Their mission is to create a vehicle that can travel the farthest using the least amount of energy while maintaining an average speed of at least 24 km/h over a set distance.

This focus on efficiency encourages teams to explore alternative energy sources and innovative design strategies, fostering a new generation of engineers committed to sustainability.

Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2025 will take place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, April 2-6, 2025. Phase 1 registration is open until January 15, 2025. “Shell Eco-marathon aims to empower the next generation of energy leaders,” organizers say. “The competition embodies the spirit of these Changemakers – their perseverance, collaboration, and innovation – and ties it to Shell’s purpose of helping achieve a cleaner energy future for all.”

University of Alberta's EcoCars: leading the way

Since its inception, the University of Alberta's EcoCar Team, which is sponsored by the Faculty of Engineering, has taught students how to design and innovate alternative energy systems. The team brings together students from various faculties to gain hands-on experience researching, designing, building, promoting, and racing vehicles. Students also develop skills in project management and corporate relations.

Over the years, they've developed an impressive lineup of vehicles. Their journey began with STEVE (2010-2015), an urban concept car powered by a Horizon H-1000 XP 1kW fuel cell. STEVE won first place in the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas (SEMA) 2014 and second place in 2012. It was featured in the Edmonton Journal and The Gateway. This early success showcased the team's commitment to hydrogen technology.

Next came ALICE (2016-2018), another urban concept car equipped with a Ballard 46-cell, 40V fuel cell. ALICE achieved an efficiency of 490 MPGe, roughly 800 km on one gallon of hydrogen. The car participated in the Driver’s World Championship Competition and won first place in SEMA 2016.

The team then developed SOFIE (2017-2019), a prototype vehicle powered by a Ballard 28-cell, 20V fuel cell. SOFIE achieved an astounding efficiency of 1,927 MPGe, approximately 3,000 km on one gallon of hydrogen. The car secured first place in SEMA 2017 and 2019, and received the Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Most Innovative Hydrogen Newcomer Awards in 2019.

KATE (2020-2023), an urban concept car with an efficiency of 490 MPGe, continued the team's legacy. Recognized among 67 international teams in the Shell Pitch the Future Competition, KATE placed in the top three internationally in the 'Tracking and Reducing CO2 Emissions' category.

Their latest and most efficient car yet is LUCY (2024), a prototype powered by a Ballard 28-cell, 20V fuel cell. LUCY achieves 323 km/m³, roughly 4,000 km on one kilogram of hydrogen. The vehicle won first place in SEMA 2024, along with the Safety Award and the Spirit of Shell Eco-Marathon Award.

Collaborative efforts and support

• Andrew Worthington, Account Manager, is a primary point of contact and assists with any team inquiries.
• James Dickie, Certified Swagelok Field Advisor and Trainer, offers training programs like the Swagelok Training Essentials Program (STS) and the new Swagelok Regulator Selection and Troubleshooting Training (RSTT).
• Mike Taylor, Planning and Construction Specialist, can share insights on instrumentation and hydrogen applications based on his 23 years of industry experience.

Training covered Swagelok Essential Training (STS) course content plus content from the new Swagelok Regulator Selection and Troubleshooting (RSTT) course, which was rolled out in 2024.

Student perspectives

Team members have found value in these resources. Asha Mansour, the Hydrogen Lead of the EcoCar Team and a fourth-year engineering student, reflected on the impact of the training: "The Swagelok Essentials Training was very necessary and long overdue. Learning about proper installation and handling of fittings and tubing was crucial for our team. Last year, while building LUCY, we realized we made a lot of mistakes due to a lack of knowledge, especially when trying to fix up the inspection for KATE. The training provided a solid base, and I think having this set up earlier for new team members would be amazing. Yearly training would be really helpful because we can build on the knowledge and have more hands-on experience."

Wesley Ngo, a fifth-year engineering student and EcoCar Team member since 2020, shared his thoughts: "I loved the training. It would have been absolutely phenomenal two years ago. For EcoCar, it would have helped me be a lot more confident assembling fuel cell fittings. Before, we didn't know how tight to make them or how to prevent leaks. Now we know about gaugeability and proper techniques. When we didn't pass tech inspection in the past, I didn't know how to fix it. This training bridges that gap."

Looking ahead

University of Alberta's EcoCar Team isn't slowing down. They're pushing forward with hydrogen fuel cell technology, demonstrating what's possible through their hard work and ingenuity. As they gear up for future competitions, their journey offers inspiration and a glimpse into what can be achieved through dedication and teamwork.

Article series on LinkedIn

This is just the start of our exploration into sustainable transportation and the remarkable efforts of the EcoCar Team. Please join us on LinkedIn where we will publish a series of articles on hydrogen fuel cell technology, its potential impact on clean energy, and how teams like EcoCar drive progress. 

For more about the University of Alberta's EcoCar Team and their groundbreaking work, visit their website at www.ualberta-ecocar.ca. To learn how we help teams maximize fluid system safety and efficiency, visit www.edmonton.swagelok.solutions. To learn about Swagelok consulting, components, and assemblies specifically for hydrogen applications, check out www.edmonton.swagelok.solutions/about/clean-energy.