Forget about speed records
focus on effieciency records

The Shell Eco-marathon Americas, which took place from April 10 to 13 at the California Speedway, in Fontana, allowed students from Canada, Mexico and the United States to showcase their skills in the development of extremely fuel-efficient vehicles.

Students from Mater Dei High School, in Indiana, set a new mileage record this year. The goal of the competition was to see which car could drive the farthest while using the least amount of fuel possible. The new mark is 1,208.6 kilometers on a single liter of fuel. Actually, three teams broke the record set in 2007 by Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

The 2008 Shell Eco-marathon Americas had over 300 students from four high schools and 23 universities across North America. A total of 25 vehicles were powered by an internal combustion engine, four used fuel-cell technology, two relied on solar power, another was motivated by a diesel engine and the last one featured a liquid gas-compatible engine.

As the overall winner, Mater Dei High School received $10,000 from Shell.