A prototype designed by Gadjah Mada University (UGM) students is the first winner of a nationwide university car-innovation competition.

The Subali 4 which uses hydrogen peroxide and a calcium iodide catalyst as its fuel has beat other alternative energy-car prototypes.

'€œThe competition is pretty tough. We weren'€™t allowed to use electronic systems to control the car. Sensor and electric switches are also prohibited. Everything is manual,'€ said Bobby Nugroho Wicaksono, the team manager, on Tuesday.

The competition was held by 10 November Technology Institute Surabaya in Surabaya, East Java, from May 3 to 5.

The 29 students of the UGM team designed two other prototypes '€“ Anjani 1 and Sugriwa 3 '€“ which also won awards. Each 80-centimeter prototype cost between Rp 3 million (US$ 310) and Rp 4 million.

Hydrogen peroxide is environmentally friendly. With the renewable energy, Subali 4 ran 22 meters on 120 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide.

Anjani 1 used fuel cell energy from sodium hydroxide while Sugriwa 3 was driven by copper sulphate and zinc sulphate heptahydrate.

The three prototypes will be included in an international competition in Queensland University, Australia, at the end of September. (asw/ebf)

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