DETROIT (Jan. 13, 2010)—Michelin will hold its 10th Challenge Bibendum—the tire maker's conference on sustainability—May 30-June 2 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where participants will gain experience with ethanol and other alternative fuels.
Key themes for 2010 include: A renaissance of road transport after the economic downturn; a roadmap for sustainable road transport; updates on sustainable bio-fuels; an update on electric vehicle programs; and access to mobility in urban areas.
Michelin said the event—postponed a year because of the uncertain economic climate a year ago—will provide participants an opportunity to see how sugar ethanol is helping the largest economy in South America reduce its carbon footprint along with experiencing the “complete cocktail” of advanced technology solutions developed on various continents.
The program includes both long-haul and urban-utility vehicles and passenger cars, as well as tests and rallies, policy and strategy forums, demonstrations and ride and drives, and a technical exhibition center.
Over the next two decades, the number of vehicles around the globe is expected to double to 1.6 billion, Michein said, and if that doubling of vehicles equates to double the use of natural resources and double the greenhouse gas emissions, “then our mobility will be our ruin.”