 To
View Video Of Opening Day Click Here (Windows
Media Player)
More than 100 cars and trucks from the world's leading
automakers and research universities have gathered in Northern California
this week for the world's largest environmental vehicle event: Michelin's
fifth-annual Challenge Bibendum.
The global event highlights the progress of environmentally
friendly, advanced technology vehicles. Representatives from industry leaders
such as Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, Nissan and Toyota, plus participants
from more than 30 countries, have gathered here to drive and discuss the
latest advancements in environmentally positive transportation. The event
is named for Bibendum, the fun-loving man of tires that has symbolized
Michelin for more than a century.
Many of the vehicles participating in Challenge Bibendum
are already available to consumers, such as the Honda Civic and the Toyota
Prius Hybrid. These cars are powered by an electric motor in addition to
an efficient gasoline engine. Ford's H2ICE Focus runs on Hydrogen and its
exhaust is only water vapor.
Vehicles propelled by natural gas, propane, biofuels
and electricity already share the road with today's gasoline vehicles and
their numbers are increasing. All these technologies are participating
in this year's Challenge Bibendum, where they will be judged on environmental
friendliness, safety, performance and design.
~
|
