Indian Engineers Build 'Jugaad 13' - The 200 Kmpl Car For International Race

              The term 'Jugaad' was traditionally used in India to refer to the locally made motor vehicles, used mostly in small villages as a means of low-cost transportation. Now, we only call a trick - a Jugaad if it is an improvised arrangement or work-around done for the lack of resources. Putting proper sense to their innovation, second year engineering students of KJ Somaiya College in India have developed a dolphin-shaped, single-seater car with a body of fibre glass and being inspired by the book titled 'Jugaad Innovation', they are calling it the 'Jugaad ’13'. Proudly stating that it one of the most fuel efficient cars, the students say that their vehicle offers a mileage of 200 kmpl. In an attempt to answer to the country’s fuel problem and with a focus of winning the "Shell Eco-Marathon", an international competition to be held on Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, in July, these students have come up with this incredibly innovative mean machine.
 

              This 40 student team from KJ Somaiya College students, lead by Tony Thomas, a student himself have been shortlisted from Maharashtra among 12 Indian teams and from 150 teams across the world. Hailing from electronic and mechanical engineering streams, these students have worked hard for last five months to put together theirs effort into technical and marketing. And the outcome has been backed by Yamaha, Nyasa and Om freights as the project's chief sponsors.


               After it rolled on the road for the first time on tuesday, the students were excited to shell out the tech specs that the car sports. The 35 cc petrol engine gives a maximum speed of 40 km/hr and this is one of the few prototypes that uses the fuel-efficient electronic fuel injection system. They have tried to make the vehicle as lightweight and aerodynamic as possible. These engineering students are confident that the car’s mileage will go up to 300kmpl in the Malaysia circuit. “If we do well, we can think of turning it into a full-scale luxury car in the competition next year, but we’re more keen on perfecting and improving on the prototype as it gives us more freedom to experiment,” Thomas said.
 

            We wish the team behind the innovation all the best and are eager to watch more photos and videos. If any of the team members are reading this, please share the same in comments below.

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