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Indian Students Win Bronze at Shell Eco-Marathon 2026 with Hydrogen Car

Team ReNew from Kumaraguru Institutions in Coimbatore secured a historic third-place finish at the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Pacific 2026 in Qatar. Competing as India's first entry in the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Prototype category, the student team built a net-zero vehicle over ten months of intensive R&D. Their lightweight, 45 kg prototype, inspired by a kingfisher's aerodynamics, achieved an efficiency of 277 km per cubic meter of hydrogen. The victory highlights India's emerging prowess in sustainable mobility and engineering innovation.

Key Points: Indian Team Wins 3rd at Shell Eco-Marathon 2026

  • First Indian team in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Prototype category
  • Vehicle inspired by kingfisher aerodynamics
  • Achieved efficiency of 277 km/m³ of hydrogen
  • Lightweight design of just 45 kg
2 min read

Kumaraguru Institutions secures historic podium finish at Shell Eco-Marathon 2026 in Qatar

Team from Kumaraguru Institutions clinches historic 3rd place at Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Pacific 2026 in Qatar with a hydrogen fuel cell prototype.

"showcased India's growing capabilities in sustainable mobility innovation - Kumaraguru Institutions release"

Doha, January 26

India's first team in the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Prototype category clinches third place. Team Renew from Kumaraguru Institutions, Coimbatore, has secured Third Position at the prestigious 41st Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Pacific 2026, held at the Lusail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar, from January 21 to 25, according to a release.

Competing as India's first-ever team in the highly technical Hydrogen Fuel Cell - Prototype category, the student-led team competed against leading universities from across the Asia-Pacific region to achieve this historic podium finish. By translating classroom learning into a race-ready, net-zero hydrogen vehicle, the team has showcased India's growing capabilities in sustainable mobility innovation.

A Victory for Sustainable Mobility: The Shell Eco-Marathon challenges students to design, build, and operate the world's most energy-efficient vehicles. Team ReNew's success is the result of 10 months of intensive research and development conducted at the KCT Garage. Their hydrogen prototype, inspired by the aerodynamics of a kingfisher bird, met the competition's stringent technical and safety standards while delivering consistent on-track performance.

Engineering Excellence: The podium-winning vehicle featured an advanced basalt fibre composite structure, enabling a lightweight design of just 45 kg, marking a 21 kg reduction from the team's previous model without compromising structural integrity. Powered by a BLDC hub motor system and supported by an optimised energy management strategy, the hydrogen fuel cell prototype achieved an efficiency of 277 km/m³ of hydrogen during the competition, demonstrating strong performance with a clean, sustainable energy source.

The Team Behind the Triumph: Led by Captain Aswin Karthik, Vice-captain Dhanasri, and piloted by Shobika, the 14-member multidisciplinary student team designed and fabricated nearly every component of the vehicle in-house, except for the motor and fuel cell.

The project, valued at approximately 42 lakhs, was supported by Kumaraguru Institution. The Shell Eco-Marathon is one of the world's leading student engineering competitions couraging young innovators to push the boundaries of energy efficiency and mobility solutions.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Wow, 277 km per cubic meter of hydrogen! That's an amazing efficiency figure. The aerodynamics inspired by a kingfisher is such clever bio-mimicry. Hats off to Team ReNew and Kumaraguru Institutions. We need more focus and funding for such green tech projects in our engineering colleges.
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Vikram M
A project worth 42 lakhs is a significant investment. While the achievement is commendable, I hope this leads to tangible commercial applications and doesn't just remain a competition prototype. The real victory will be when such innovations become affordable and hit Indian roads.
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Sarah B
As an engineering student myself, this is incredibly inspiring. Competing against top unis in the Asia-Pacific and securing a podium finish is no small feat. The 10-month R&D grind at the KCT Garage must have been intense. Big congratulations to the entire team!
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Rohit P
Basalt fibre composite, 45 kg weight... the technical specs are impressive. This is the kind of "Make in India" and "Green India" story we love to see. Hope the industry takes note and offers these students great opportunities. Jai Hind!
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Nikhil C
Coimbatore representing! 🚀 Often, all the limelight goes to IITs and NITs, but institutions like Kumaraguru are doing phenomenal work. This proves that passion and hard work can beat mere brand names any day. Super proud!

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