An exercise in futility?

Wikipedia tells us that the record for the internal combustion engine category (for prototype category of the Shell Eco Marathon) is a mind-boggling 3,410 km/L (Don't think they have had the figure updated recently). For fuel cell powered vehicles, the record stands at 3,836 km/L!

Fantastic figures, right? Futuristic technology, yeah? Immense technical innovation, no? The figures seem too good to be true. Sadly, they are. Almost.

Skeptics argue that the competition is not a fair reflection of today's automotive technology. The levels of efficiency the record books indicate are inflated. Several folds. The element of so-called 'technical innovation' is somewhat...missing. They certainly have got a point.

Last year, in the Urban Concept Category (where cars are more car-ish) the maximum mileage was recorded as 1,246 km/L by a Fuel Cell propelled vehicle. Fact of the matter is that the fuel cell is being worked upon by numerous motor companies. Technically then, the 'innovation' at the competition is 'less than or equal to' the expertise at the motor companies. Where is the innovation? Where are the supposed gains from thousands of dollars of research?

The highest an Internal Combustion engine managed was 589 km/L. The Team from Denmark Technical University used a combination of DME (Diesel substitute) and a smart start-stop strategy to this end. But, as their website states, "it is no more than a decade ago, that scientists at DTU discovered the excellent combustion properties of DME" and the start-stop strategy is something taxi drivers do all the time (not exactly) in Pakistan. Where is the innovation? Where is the out-of-the-box thinking?

Then there are the same old tricks. Going Light Weight with carbon fiber. Getting low-resistance tires from Michelin. Getting high mileage. Where IS the innovation?

And now, as logically I should, let me answer.

Last year, almost 200 (hope I am not exaggerating) teams took part. This year, over a hundred will. What sets apart the vehicles that do 589 km/L and those that do 100 km/L - don't get me wrong, 100 km/L is still WAY BETTER THAN WHAT TODAY'S CARS DO- is innovation. (ins't it?) It is the same general solution, but different specific ones. The idea of competition makes us want to go one better (unless of course, we are Pakistanis :-) )

Apologies for the abrupt end. Really got tired.

The Shell Eco Marathon isn't an exercise in futility after all.