Malang, en.SERU.co.id – Universitas Negeri Malang (UM) once again demonstrated its dominance through the Semeru Team at KMHE 2026 held at Universitas Jember from 1–4 October 2026. The Semeru Team secured First Place in the Prototype MPD Ethanol category and Second Place in the Urban Concept MPD Ethanol category. The first-place title simultaneously extends the consecutive winning record of Semeru Team I for eight years in a row.
Supervisor of Semeru Team I, Ir Avita Ayu Permanasari ST MT, said Semeru Team I emerged as the first-place winner in the Prototype MPD Ethanol Category. At the same time, it retained that title for eight consecutive years.
“Meanwhile, Semeru Team II successfully secured second position in the Urban Concept MPD Ethanol Category. This result is an important improvement after the previous year the team was in third position,” said Avita, as quoted from the UM website on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Avita welcomed the achievement with a sense of pride. According to her, the accomplishments prove that UM students’ research in developing energy-efficient vehicles based on renewable fuel is able to compete at the national level.
“The success of the team is not only determined by the vehicle design. The compactness of the members, discipline, and a measured optimization process are important factors in maintaining the vehicle’s performance,” she said.
The team routinely analyzes test results to find the most optimal settings. This is especially in aligning engine performance with the efficiency of ethanol fuel use.
Supervisor of Semeru Team II, Ir Yahya Zakaria ST MT, assessed that the success of securing second position shows significant development. This is particularly from the side of research and vehicle development.
“An extraordinary achievement because we have been able to rise to a higher level from third position last year,” said Yahya.
Preparations for facing KMHE 2026 were carried out over a long period. The team developed the vehicles through various stages. These ranged from the design of the body and structure, adjustment of the ethanol-fueled drive system, to a series of periodic tests.
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These tests were conducted to ensure that every component can work reliably while also increasing the vehicle’s efficiency. In addition to technical aspects, the readiness of the drivers and the technical team also became an important part of the preparations before competing.
The success of the Semeru Team UM at KMHE 2026 simultaneously strengthens the contribution of higher education institutions in the development of environmentally friendly transportation technology. The research conducted is in line with a number of sustainable development targets, particularly SDG 7, SDG 9, and SDG 13.
Going forward, the Semeru Team does not want to make the competition the final goal. The results of the research and vehicle development are expected to continue to be refined. Ultimately, they have the potential to be applied and provide wider benefits for the community. (aan/mzm)
