USC Team Lahutay finishes fourth in Shell Eco-Marathon

Isuzu reiterates support for the new breed of future auto leaders.

The University of San Carlos Team Lahutay faltered in their quest to rule over the Shell Eco-Marathon Philippines 2017. They finished in fourth place in the Internal Combustion Engine Prototype category, last weekend at the Clark International Speedway in Mabalacat, Pampanga.


The team was the first team to pass the technical inspection. Team Lahutay just could not get it going. It finished with a mileage of 117.1 kilometers to a single liter of fuel. It was an improvement from their 105.8 km/L during their third-place finish in the Asian leg of this same competition last year. It still failed to reach their expected target of over 150 kilometers.


Not a single tear was shed. The team held their heads high and vowed to do better in next year's edition of this ultimate-energy-efficiency challenge. “There is no time for slacking off! We will come back stronger! See you at Seraph 2018!” the group posted on their Facebook page.

The Shell Eco-marathon challenges student teams around the world to design, build and drive the most energy-efficient cars.

USC Team Lahutay is a group of individuals who are committed to innovation, said team manager Kyle Despi during their press launch last week. “We envision the world with fuel-efficient vehicles,” she said.

Despi said that several factors played a part in their fourth place finish. “First, the track was a lot different from what we were used to. There were uphill slopes that led us to consume more fuel to propel our vehicle,” she explained. “Also, there were electronic glitches in the middle of the run that always occurred. In one of our best attempts, the smoke appearing in the cockpit forced the driver to stop and evacuate the vehicle. The loosening of the engine exhaust caused the smoke,” Despi added.

Isuzu Cebu Inc. is one of the team's chief supporters with no less than the general manager Steve Gingco expressing his admiration for the heights the team has reached in such short a time. “I was awestruck. They won the third place against powerhouse countries,” Gingco said during the press conference.

Isuzu is sharing their support with USC Team Lahutay in line with their corporate social responsibility program which includes promoting innovation and improved fuel efficiency. “Isuzu Cebu Inc. believes these students are the future leaders in the auto industry. We hope that they can be better innovators, better leaders. We are one with their vision in providing better transport solutions. We will continue to support them by providing mentorship and consultancy in their future endeavors,” Gingco added.

For updates on USC Team Lahutay, like https://www.facebook.com/uscteamlahutay/



Jonas Rey N. Panerio
iSTORYA Contributor - Sports


Jonas Panerio He's legen-wait for it-dary.