ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 03rd Jul, 2019) The SparKU team from the Khalifa University of Science and Technology competed against 31 international universities to win the eighth place at the Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE, Supermileage 2019 competition in the United States, the research university announced.
The participating teams were required to develop a single-person, extremely high-fuel economy vehicle that complies with the Supermileage rules and runs a specified course. The vehicle with the highest combined kilometres per litre rating, as well as points on the design segment, won the top spot. The Khalifa University team achieved a fuel rating of 384 miles per gallon (163 kmpl).
The team, comprising ten students from the mechanical, electrical, computer and chemical engineering streams, was the only one from the Arab world to successfully complete the race and earn a good fuel economy rating.
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said, "Our compliments to the faculty and student team members and we believe this success will pave the way for many more such successes in the future."
Dr. Saeed Almansori, CEO of Halcon System, a defence technology company owned by the Abu Dhabi-based Yas Holding Group, said, "It is Halcon Systems’ responsibility as an Emirati organisation to support future UAE engineers, and develop them to become professionals and capable of becoming leaders in any industry."
Faculty advisors included Dr. Bashar El-Khasawneh, Graduate Programme Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Reyad AlKhazali, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering. E. Rajesh Ganithi, Mechanical Engineering Department, provided administrative and technical support. Two teams of students, one dealing with the mechanical systems, and the other with the engine and the electrical systems, built the vehicle simultaneously for the SAE Supermileage 2019 competition.
From mechanical engineering, the students included Alanood Alblooshi, Aamna Alteneiji, May Al Shami, and Rawan Al Katheeri. Manar Alhebsi was responsible for the steering system and the wheels. The other team members included Abdulaziz Naqi from electrical engineering, Khalifa Rashed of computer engineering, and Sultan Al Shamsi from chemical engineering. Mechanical engineering student, Khalifa Al Shehhi, and electrical engineering student, Shamma Alblooshi, drove the vehicle alternately.
Halcon Systems has been the sole sponsor of the Khalifa University SAE Supermileage team for the last two years, while the Aerospace Research and Innovation Centre provided technical support.
