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WestStart-CALSTART Joins With Michelin to Introduce Heavy-Duty Vehicle Competition at 2003 Challenge Bibendum

Leading Innovator in Transport Technology Joins Michelin's Annual Environmental Event

GREENVILLE, S.C., June 9 -- Michelin announced today that WestStart-CALSTART and Michelin will be working together to coordinate the heavy-duty truck and commercial bus participants for the 2003 Challenge Bibendum. WestStart-CALSTART will also be assisting with entries to the Learning Center -- a display of environmental technologies and resources that complements the competition and ride-and-drive portions of Challenge Bibendum.

"Although our competition for passenger vehicles is well-established, the heavy-duty competition is a new addition to Challenge Bibendum this year," said Ron Musgnug, North American project manager for Challenge Bibendum. "WestStart-CALSTART is a leading organization in promoting advanced technology vehicles for commercial buses and heavy-duty trucks. They have already proven to be an excellent resource in developing the commercial side of this event. We are excited to have them join us."

During the last Challenge Bibendum in the United States in 2001, Michelin showcased vehicles and technologies from Freightliner, Volvo, the Allison Transmission Division of General Motors, Ebus, XCELLSIS and United Parcel Service. This year, even greater participation from truck and bus manufacturers as well as fleets is expected.

According to the Department of Energy, heavy-duty vehicles represent only 6 percent of U.S. highway vehicles, but they produce 60 percent of U.S. NOX emissions and more than 80 percent of U.S. particulate matter emissions from the transportation sector. Reporting on the environmental progress of commercial vehicles is a natural evolution of Challenge Bibendum.

"We are proud to join with Michelin to help expand the Challenge Bibendum into heavy-duty vehicles," said John Boesel, WestStart-CALSTART's President & CEO. "The Challenge Bibendum will now showcase the world's most advanced heavy-duty technologies and demonstrate to commercial users the new vehicles becoming available for them."

The heavy-duty competition for this year's Challenge Bibendum will be broken into several classes based on gross vehicle weight:

  * Class 6 and 7 - Pick-up and Delivery vehicles
  * Class 8 Trucks
  * Buses - both city transit and highway
  * Other Vehicles - including military, not fitting into the other
    categories

Manufacturers and innovators interested in participating in Challenge Bibendum should submit a registration form through the website at www.challengebibendum.com.

Each class of commercial vehicles will be evaluated in four specific categories: emission, noise, fuel economy and acceleration. Michelin will also be conducting measures of fuel use during overnight idling for Class 8 trucks and will attempt to incorporate this important issue into reported outcomes.

Emissions Measurement deals with the amount of pollution released during operation. The reduction of air pollution is vital for the quality of our air and the reduction of greenhouse gases. Certified emissions data will be submitted for this competition.

Noise Testing addresses the increasingly crucial issue of noise pollution in our cities and along our highways. It measures the external noise level of the vehicle during acceleration.

Acceleration Testing allows comparisons to be made in power and performance versus environmental measures. As commercial trucking advancements must consider load-carrying ability, this test is important in determining the compromises -- or lack thereof -- in designing more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Fuel Economy Testing is important for both cost and environmental concerns.

"One interesting twist is that Challenge Bibendum is a competition without an overall winner," said Musgnug. "While vehicles will receive a performance grade based on the results of their testing, our goal is not to pick one superior vehicle -- but to allow drivers and fleets to compare current state- of-the-art to baseline performance among a variety of technologies in several weight categories. What one technology may sacrifice in acceleration, it may gain in fuel economy or noise levels. Customers must decide for themselves what choice is best for them."

The 2003 Challenge Bibendum will be held in Sonoma and San Francisco, Calif. on Sept. 23 - 25. It will feature vehicle testing at Infineon Raceway and a rally of environmental vehicles through the Sonoma Valley and across the Golden Gate Bridge.

WestStart-CALSTART -- now celebrating a decade of innovation -- is the nation's leading advanced transportation technologies consortium. It is a fuel neutral, participant-supported organization of more than 120 companies and agencies, dedicated to expanding and supporting a high-tech transportation industry that cleans the air, creates jobs and improves energy efficiency. WestStart also serves as a strategic broker on behalf of transportation technologies and companies that can help improve air quality and increase energy efficiency. Its California operating division does business as CALSTART.

Challenge Bibendum(TM), considered one of the premier global events for advanced technology vehicles, was established by the Michelin Group as an objective way to bring together and test the best available technologies for environmentally positive vehicles. The annual event features vehicles from major manufacturers on three continents and brings together all partners in the automotive world: vehicle manufacturers, designers, energy suppliers, technical leaders, policy makers, universities and government organizations.

A true competition, Challenge Bibendum is one of the few events to compare different advanced technologies head-to-head. The event is open to all energy sources from electric cars to hybrid fuel cells to hydrogen powered buses. Advanced technology vehicles are rated on emissions, acceleration, braking, handling, noise and energy efficiency during the annual competition.

Although some Americans may be unfamiliar with the name "Bibendum," it is well known elsewhere in the world. "Bibendum" is the name of the Michelin Man(TM) -- the ever-pleasant man of tires that has symbolized Michelin for more than 100 years. The first Challenge Bibendum was held in 1998 to help celebrate his 100th birthday. Complete information is available at www.challengebibendum.com.

Michelin manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelin.com) employs 24,640 and operates 22 plants in 18 locations.