Michelins Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai, China

2004 Shanghai, China – Michelins Challenge Bibendum

Michelin is known in the US as a tire company. Around the world, it is becoming known as the Challenge Bibendum founder. Michelin touts that the Challenge Bibendum was born out of the will of all the players in the automobile world, from manufacturers to energy suppliers, as well as their technical partners, to enhance and clarify the current debate concerning sustainable mobility. Such an approach is essential if we are to accelerate the promotion of road mobility to meet the energy, environmental, and human challenges of tomorrow.

The sixth in a series that first began in 1998 in France and which has since alternated between Europe and the United States, Challenge Bibendum’s Asian Debut will take place from October 12th to October 14th, 2004, in Shanghai, immediately after the inaugural Formula 1 race that will also take place there.

“Challenge Bibendum makes a significant contribution to the development of sustainable road mobility in China by showcasing the available range of clean vehicle technologies and their potential for the future,” said Eric Jugier, chairman of Michelin China.

143 vehicles -87 passenger cars, 21 buses and trucks and 35 two-wheels-, 57 learning center exhibitors, some 400 guests, and 500 media and around 500 participants attend the Challenge Bibendum 2004. For the public day on October 14th, the city authorities expect around 2000 visitors, which makes this event the biggest Michelins Challenge Bibendum has ever organized.

According to the New York Times, China has just set it’s first fuel-economy rules. About 30 million, out of 1.3 billion, are licensed, motorists. The infrastructure and the ability to motorize all the willing Chinese are concerns for the Chinese government. Environmental concerns are just coming into play as more Chinese are driving and the air quality does down and fuel prices go up.

The aim of this event, according to Michelin, is to provide leaders of opinion and decision-makers “ political representatives, media, industrialists “ with impartial information on the latest technological advances in the field of environment-friendly vehicles.

The Challenge Bibendum does not set out to provide solutions, but to highlight the most significant global advances, via demonstrations of vehicles and technology.

The vehicles that will be participating in the 2004 Shanghai China, Challenge Bibendum are;