Shanghai to host '07 Challenge Bibendum

Paris - Group Michelin will stage the 2007 version of its Challenge Bibendum “sustainable mobility” conference/rally Nov. 14-17 in Shanghai, the event's second visit to China.

The 2007 Challenge Bibendum will take place at Shanghai International Automobile City's Automotive Exhibition Center, which offers a network of roads for vehicle trials and testing along with exhibition and conference space, Michelin said.

The event will feature roundtable discussions on a variety of topics, including biofuels, batteries and super-capacitors, fuel cells, trucks and buses in the city, hybrid electric power and the contribution of tyres to sustainable mobility. The event also will feature several rally itineraries for trucks, buses, cars and urban two-wheelers.

Michelin said it picked Shanghai in part because China is experiencing an “exponential increase in its motorisation” and is working toward integrating environmental concerns and the growth in road transportation. An Asian location also highlights the challenges countries like China and India are facing to balance growth and skyrocketing energy requirements.

Challenge Bibendum was started by former Chairman Edouard Michelin, who died in May 2006 only weeks before that summer's event in Paris. Challenge Bibendum events have been staged annually since 1998 to spotlight the role of technology in helping shape public policy and opinion toward sustainable development. Michelin held the 2004 Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai.

The four-day event will conclude with a parade through the streets of Shanghai's Pudong district, Michelin said.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)

Website of Challenge Bibendum