Charge Ahead: Mapúa Cardinal One secures Gold Sponsorship from Kinmo PW (Uni-T) for Shell Eco-Marathon 2027

Article by: Marco R. Sunga

Photo courtesy of Mapúa Cardinal One

Mapúa University’s (MU) Cardinal One, the university’s premier student-led engineering team for sustainable automotive design, fabrication, and innovation, inked a Gold Sponsorship partnership with Kinmo PW / Unit-T. The collaboration provides a significant technical boost to the team as they gear up for the prestigious international Shell Eco-Marathon 2027.

As part of this high-impact partnership, Kinmo PW / Unit-T has sponsored approximately PHP 258,481.00 worth of state-of-the-art equipment and technical support to accelerate the team’s vehicle development and competition preparations.

Next-Gen Tools for Next-Gen Tech

The sponsorship delivers industry-grade diagnostic machinery straight to the student engineers' laboratory, equipping them with full oscilloscope sets, digital multimeters, and high-precision thermal imagers.

Photo: Mapúa Cardinal One

"The partnership with Kinmo PW (Uni-T) is highly valuable to Mapúa Cardinal One and plays a major role in our preparation for the Shell Eco-Marathon 2027," the team shared. "Their sponsorship of diagnostic equipment [...] greatly supports the development of our electric propulsion system, particularly in the research, testing, and optimization of our motor controller, battery systems, and overall electrical architecture."

The team also extended its deepest gratitude to Mr. Earl Bryan Dy for warmly welcoming the student engineers and providing invaluable support and encouragement during the partnership discussions.

"Through this partnership, our students are given the opportunity to apply engineering concepts in real-world development while continuing to advance innovation, sustainability, and energy-efficient mobility," the team added.

Unveiling a New Electric Era

As global energy demands shift and electric vehicle technology intensifies, Mapúa Cardinal One remains steadfast in its mission to pioneer sustainable transport solutions.

For the Shell Eco-Marathon 2027, the team is developing a Battery Electric Prototype entry. While technical details remain under wraps, the team revealed that the vehicle will feature a completely redesigned chassis and an aerodynamically optimized body. The new vehicle architecture, along with several major project milestones, will be officially unveiled later this year. 

Photo: Mapúa Cardinal One

"This upcoming season represents an exciting new chapter for the team as we continue to improve our vehicle’s efficiency, aerodynamics, and overall performance through extensive research, testing, and engineering development," the team stated.

With Kinmo PW / Unit-T backing them as a Gold Sponsor, Mapúa Cardinal One is well-positioned to drive Mapúans' innovation to the forefront of global eco-racing.

Photo: Mapúa Cardinal One