Team Luk Jao Mae Khlong Prapa from Thailand surpassed their own fuel efficiency record from last year by 31 percent to clinch the top place at Shell* Eco-marathon Asia, which concluded on July 7.

The students from Dhurakij Pubdit University, whose prototype car runs on ethanol, improved their mileage from 2,213.4 kilometers per liter (5,206.2 miles per gallon) to 2,903 km/l (6,828.3 mpg) this year.

Team adviser Dr. Narongdech Keeratipranon attributed the students’ success to their modification to the car’s engine, bearings, tires, air fuel ratio and driving techniques.

“All the work is done by the students. They designed and created their own engine, adjusted the bearings and tires to reduce friction between the vehicle and the road so that the car can