Students of Sharjah Men’s College and Sharjah Women’s College have worked jointly to innovate an alternative to the conventional car by making a hybrid electric car, which is not just cost-effective and produces less emission but can also help reduce traffic congestion significantly.

A joint effort of students from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering and the Department of Applied Media, the car is slim-built and good enough for solo commuters that passes challenge to resolve the traffic congestion.

“It is quite common to see people travelling alone in a car that is actually meant for 4-5 passengers. This causes traffic congestion especially during office hours. If the road and transport authorities dedicate a lane for these cars, the problem of traffic congestion can be easily resolved,” said Rashid Ahmed Al Hashmi, a student of Mechanical Engineering.

“Our main motivation was to perform highly in the third UAE Global Hybrid Electric Challenge held 2017, while representing our colleges and our country. We are proud to win two coveted awards at the contest. In the process, we realized that it can be used by daily commuters,” he said.

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He stressed that the authorities must consider this alternative as hybrid cars like this offer many benefits compared to the internal combustion engine cars. It not only produces less emission, but its environment-friendly technology satisfies the energy resource sustainability too.

“The car runs on four lithium batteries, which can power it for one hour if fully charged. However, a generator is attached to it for extended running time. Since the car can be driven at a speed of 60kmph, and the batteries can be recharged using any normal electric socket, it becomes ideal for daily commuters in a smart city with dedicated lanes,” said Hashmi, who drove the car for three hours continuously.

Spectacular graphics done by students of Applied Media Division of Sharjah Women’s College also won much commendation. The graphic designs on the car won two awards at the Global Hybrid Electric Car Challenge 2017.

Sheikha Al Shamsi, a Graphic Design student, said, “Our main aim was to build a hybrid electric car that can travel by using electricity and gasoline. But we also wanted to reflect our national identity. Thus, I decided to follow the design pattern that would reflect the UAE’s rich heritage and a promising future.”

Through the Innovation Month, Sharjah aims to transform innovation into an institutional culture that reflects its positive impact on society, establishes a working curriculum for all government and academic institutions in the Emirate, and encourages the private sector and community institutions to form a unified business system based on innovation as a basis for development.