[RunningOnEmpty]

I've mentored a Formula SAE team, a IGVC Robotic team and a Shell Eco-Marathon team.
I've seen students make the same mistakes repeated over and over. I could write a book on the subject of school STEM competitions, but the most frustrating thing is students often don't listen to expert advice, think the internet has all the answers and never, ever allow enough time to get ready for the event.

Every team gets 12 months from the completion of the last event.
The event is in February so if you are just now making plans you are already 1/2 year behind.

This is a difficult event and not easily done effectively on a budget. It's hard enough to build a vehicle that passes Shell's technical inspection, hard to build a scratch built vehicle that won't fail, even harder still to be remotely competitive. I don't want to make any presumptions, but I can tell by your postings this is going to be a struggle. If you are doing this yourself, you may want to join an established team and learn all you can before investing money in a competition car.

It's not just money. I've seen big name, well funded university teams fail in a big way because they got too enamored with expensive high tech (Carbon Fiber!) but couldn't get the unglamorous mechanical basics to work.

It looks like from the the posted Shell Asia 2015 results there were 120 teams from 17 countries entered. Not sure how many were DNF or DNS.
The 11 finishers in the prototype gasoline fuel class ranged from 75.3 km/L (176 mpg) to 1480 km/L (3,481 mpg). Tough competition and very similar to results here in America.
Added: The Urban Concept 4 wheelers were 52 km/l (122 mpg) to 127 km/l (176 mpg) but have more stringent rules (Seats, wipers, lights, ability to run in the rain, must come to a complete stop every lap on the course.) Hopefully you have downloaded the rules and studied them. Note the required glass fuel bottle is as pricey as the tires.


If any of this dissuades you then you would have failed anyway. If you decide to forge ahead, then good luck and start sooner next time.