Paraná takes center stage in national sustainable mobility competition

Paraná shone at the Shell Eco-marathon Brasil 2025, held in Rio de Janeiro, winning half of the six main awards in the student sustainable mobility competition. Bringing together more than 500 university students from different Brazilian states and Latin American countries, the event highlighted the innovative capacity of Paraná's teams, which brought high-performance technological solutions in energy efficiency.

Academic Innovation, International Recognition, and Technological Training

The standout performer was the Cataratas Energy Efficiency Group (GCEE), from Foz do Iguaçu, formed by students from Unioeste and Unila. The team entered vehicles powered by electric batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, the latter being the only one of its kind in Latin America. The hydrogen-powered prototype won the category with an unprecedented 60.9 kilometers per cubic meter of fuel, making the students the first Latin American champions in this sport. In addition to this achievement, the group has a multidisciplinary and international character, involving Brazilian, Paraguayan and Chilean students, which strengthens academic cooperation in the area of ​​clean energy.

The state also excelled on other fronts: UTFPR in Medianeira won with an electric prototype, UFPR in Curitiba took the title in the hydrogen category, and other UTFPR teams secured podium finishes in internal combustion. With institutional support, a history of innovation, and strategic partnerships, Paraná projects not only garner trophies but also produce professionals prepared to face the challenges of the global energy transition. This result positions Paraná as a national benchmark in sustainable academic and technological mobility solutions.