The triumph of the 2003 Challenge Bibendum! More than 80 of the 108 participating vehicles rally across the Golden Gate Bridge and stage at Crissy Field. Photo: Richard Dole. Click image to enlarge

By Richard Russell

Sonoma, California - Colour California green - at least the northern part of the state where more than 100 vehicles from 15 manufacturers participated in the largest environmental event in the world - the 2003 Michelin Challenge Bibendum, September 23rd to 25th.

This was the fifth annual competition for environmentally-positive passenger and commercial vehicles from the world’s major automakers, organized and hosted by Michelin, and only the second time it has visited North America. Centered at Sonoma’s Infineon Raceway, it was the largest Challenge Bibendum yet with participation from Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Freightliner, General Motors, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu Truck, Nissan, Peugeot, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Volvo Truck.

A huge variety of production and concept vehicles were available for testing and ride n’ drive opportunities. They were joined at the raceway by more than 35 technology displays. The annual event has become widely respected as an opportunity for policy makers, designers, scientists, manufacturers, suppliers and the media from 30 countries to witness and discuss the variety of options being evaluated toward environmentally sustainable mobility.

Challenge Bibendum is unique in that it offers an objective platform for a variety of technological solutions and energy sources to come together and compete in real-world conditions. It is open to all automobile and transport players, from manufacturers to energy suppliers, public and private companies, universities and research institutes. Competing vehicles must be production models, concept cars or prototypes. A wide variety of energy sources were used: low sulphur gasoline, low sulphur diesel, natural gas, hydrogen, bio-fuels, methanol and electricity.

Entries undergoing inspection at The 2003 Challenge Bibendum included several electric fuel cell vehicles, such as the 2002 Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the 2002 Ford Focus ZTW. Photo: Richard Russell Inspectors remove the fuel tank from a heavy duty truck after overnight idling for fuel economy testing at the 2003 Challenge Bibendum. Photo: Richard Russell Mercedes Benz Citaro, Electric (Fuel Cell) during acceleration testing. Photo: Richard Russell Click image to enlarge

This year’s event marked the first time heavy-duty vehicles were included and tests were devised for trucks, buses, and other special applications divided into several categories based on vehicle type and gross vehicle weight. Commercial vehicles comprise only six per cent of highway vehicles yet consume 24% of transportation fuel and contribute to 60% of the NOx emissions. One Class 8 tractor/trailer combo travelling at 90 km/hr equals the noise of 28 cars at the same speed.

One example of possibilities in this sector was an entry from Pacific Gas & Electric - a natural-gas powered Freightliner FL-70 heavy duty crew cab truck. By replacing the truck’s standard diesel engine and diesel-powered air compressor with a John Deere 8.1 litre natural-gas-fueled engine, PG&E reduced nitrogen oxide emissions 50%, particulates by 80% and carbon monoxide by nearly 90%. The John Deere engines, usually found in school busses, produce 250 horsepower and 800 lb. ft. of torque.

Each class of commercial vehicle was evaluated in four specific categories: emissions, noise, fuel economy and acceleration. Fuel use during overnight idling for Class 8 trucks was also measured. They completed the same 160 kilometre round-trip drive route as the other vehicles. Other tests performed on all vehicles included: exhaust emissions, acceleration, braking, slalom and drive-by-noise.

Innovation is the name of the game. Power sources included electric, bio-diesel, CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), LPG, propane, ethanol and gaseous hydrogen in stand-alone applications or a variety of hybrid configurations.

Natural gas, commonly used for household heating, can also be used as an automotive fuel burning cleanly and producing less CO2. LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a byproduct of the oil refining process offering a compromise between the cleanliness of natural gas and the storage properties of gasoline. Gasoline has fueled the growth of the last century and remains the most promising fuel for the next few decades thanks to advances in engine technology and the gradual availability of cleaner, low-sulphur gas. Diesel fuel has made great progress in recent years thanks to a combination of new injection technology, particulate filters and cleaner (low sulphur) fuel. Biofuels obtained by cultivating and processing biomass, behave similarly to their fossil equivalents but produce less CO2. Hydrogen, when combined with oxygen through either oxidation or combustion, produces only water, making it the primary subject for clean-engine thinking as either a primary fuel for internal combustion engines or for use in fuel cells where it can be converted to electricity.

Fuel cells played a prominent role at this year’s event in everything from compact cars to public transit busses, including one from Canada’s Ballard Power Systems. Ballard is one of the world’s leading fuel cell developers. Electricity continues to play a major role in future mobility despite the lack of efficient storage device (battery) development. Electric motors produce large amounts of torque from rest, they are quiet, efficient and clean. Electricity to power these motors can be obtained from batteries, solar panels or fuel cells.

Diesels were also popular, ranging from the massive Class 8 rigs to a tiny 800-cc turbo diesel passenger car. The trick here is the use of cleaner low-sulphur diesel fuels available now in Europe.

Cars, minivans, full-size vans, SUVs, pickups, school busses, public transit busses and massive three-axle tractor-trailers drove to the state capital in Sacramento for an executive briefing for industry and policy makers before competing in tests at the raceway. Challenge Bibendum 2003 culminated with a 100-mile road rally through the Sonoma Valley and across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.

For more information visit the Challenge Bibendum website at www.challengebibendum.com

List of participants

2003 Challenge Bibendum registered participants included 11 fuel cell vehicles, 18 hydrogen powered vehicles and an even split between prototypes and production models.

AC Propulsion	2003 AC Propulsion tzero	Electric
	Volkswagen Jetta	Hybrid
American Biofuels	Chevrolet Geo Metro	Bio-diesel
	Chevrolet Geo Metro	Bio-diesel
American Honda	2003 Acura MDX Touring	ICE / Gasoline
	2003 Honda ACCORD EX	ICE / Gasoline
	2003 Honda CIVIC GX	ICE CNG
	2003 Honda CIVIC HYBRID CVT	Hybrid Gasoline / Electric
	2003 Honda ELEMENT 2 WD EX	ICE / Gasoline
	2003 Honda FCX Fuel Cell	Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 Honda Insight	Hybrid Gasoline / Electric
Anuvu	Suzuki Esteem Hybrid	Gaseous Hydrogen
Audi	2003 Audi A8 4.0 TDI quattro	ICE / Diesel
DaimlerChrysler	2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser	Bio-diesel
	2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser	Bio-diesel
	2004 Chrysler Voyager	Bio-diesel
	2004 Chrysler Voyager	Bio-diesel
	2004 Dodge Ram 2500	Bio-diesel
	2004 Dodge Ram 2500	Bio-diesel
	2002 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell A-Class	Fuel Cell / Gaseous Hydrogen
	Mercedes-Benz Citaro	Fuel Cell / Gaseous Hydrogen
Coqueline Courreges	2002 Courreges La Bulle r	Electric
Ebus Inc.	2003 Ebus Vintage Trolley	Electric Motor
ECD Ovonics	2003 Toyota Prius	ICE / Gaseous Hydrogen
Fairfield-Suisun United School District
	2002 International School Bus	ICE / Diesel
Ford Motor Company	2003 Ford Focus FCV	Fuel Cell / Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 Ford Focus FCV	Fuel Cell / Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 Ford Focus H2ICE	ICE Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 Ford Focus H2RV	Hybrid / Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 Ford MY E-350 Wagon	CNG
Freightliner LLC	2000 Century Class Day Cab	Diesel
	Freightliner LLC Century S/T	Diesel
General Motors	000 Chevrolet Malibu	ICE / Gasoline
	Chevrolet S10-Pick-up Truck	Electric
	2002 FIAT STILO	ICE / Diesel
	2002 GM Hy-Wire	Fuel Cell / Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 GMC SIERRA	Hybrid Electric
	2001 GMC Sierra	ICE / Gasoline
	2002 GMC Yukon	ICE / Ethanol (E85)
	2002 Opel Zafira	Fuel Cell Liquid Hydrogen
	2003 Saturn VUE	ICE / Gasoline
	2003 Saturn VUE	ICE / Gasoline
	2001 Gillig Standard Floor 40′	Hybrid Electric
Harris Ranch Feeding Company
	2000 Freightliner 3-Axle Tractor/Trailer	Liquid Natural Gas
Hyundai	2001 Santa Fe FCEV	Fuel Cell / Gaseous Hydrogen
	2002 Santa Fe FCHEV Fuel Cell	Gaseous Hydrogen
Intergalactic Hydrogen/Institute of Ecolonomics
	Toyota Tacoma	ICE / Gaseous Hydrogen
Isuzu Motors Inc. and Westport Innovations Inc.
	2003 Isuzu Motors Ltd. Elf	CNG-DI Compressed Natural Gas
Michigan Tech Future Truck
	2002 Ford Hybrid Explorer	Hybrid Electric
Napa Valley School District
	Blue Bird Electric Transit School Bus	Electric Motor
Nissan North America	004 Nissan Altima	Gasoline
	2002 Nissan Hypermini	Electric Motor (6 cars)
	2004 Nissan Murano	Gasoline
	2004 Nissan Murano	Gasoline
	2004 Nissan Sentra	Gasoline
	2004 Nissan Sentra	Gasoline
	Nissan Xterra FCV	Hybrid / Gaseous Hydrogen
Norcal Sanitary Fill/Cummins Westport Inc.
	2001 Peterbilt 378 Daycab	Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)
Pacific Gas & Electric	2001 Freightliner Fl 70	Compressed Natural Gas
PETER SARGEANT	NG TF	LPG/Propane
Robert Bosch Corp.	2004 Audi A8 TDI quattro	ICE / Diesel
	2003 BMW 330d	ICE / Diesel
	2004 BMW 530d	ICE / Diesel
	2003 BMW 740d	ICE / Diesel
	2003 BMW X5 3.0d	ICE / Diesel
	2003 Mercedes E 320d	ICE / Diesel
	2003 Mini ONE D	ICE / Diesel
	2001 Peugeot 607 Hdi	ICE / Diesel
	2003 Volkswagen Passat TDI 4motion	ICE / Diesel
	2003 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI	ICE / Diesel
	2002 Volvo S80 D5	ICE / Diesel
	2003 Volvo XC90 D5	ICE / Diesel
SAM	2001 Ford Crown Victoria	LPG/Propane
SoMo	Solar Motions SoMo	Electric
The Ecological Engine Company
	2000 Westfield Seight	LPG/Propane
	LTI Fairway Driver	LPG/Propane
Thor/ISE Fuel Cell Bus	2001 ElDorado EZ Rider Low Floor	Hybrid/Gaseous Hydrogen
Toyota	2004 Lexus RX 330	ICE / Gasoline
	2004 Toyota Camry PZEV	ICE / Gasoline
	2003 Toyota FCHV	Fuel Cell/Gaseous Hydrogen
	2003 Toyota FCHV	Fuel Cell/Gaseous Hydrogen
	2004 Toyota Prius	Hybrid
	2003 Toyota Prius	Hybrid
	2004 Toyota Sienna	ICE / Gasoline
U.S. EPA	2003 Ford F550	Hybrid / Diesel
UC Davis HEV Center	2000 Chevrolet Suburban	Hybrid / Gasoline
	2002 Ford Explorer	Hybrid / Ethanol (E85)
	Ford Taurus	Hybrid / Electricity
	Mercury Sable	Hybrid / Electricity
University of Wisconsin	2002 Ford Explorer	Hybrid / Bio-diesel
	Mercury Sable	Hybrid / Bio-diesel
Volvo Cars	2003 Volvo S60 PZEV	ICE / Gasoline
	2002 Volvo S80 CNG Bifuel	Compressed Natural Gas
	2002 Volvo V70 CNG Bi-Fuel	Compressed Natural Gas
	2004 Volvo V70 PZEV	ICE / Gasoline
	2003 Volvo V70 PZEV Wagon	ICE / Gasoline
	2004 Volvo S60 PZEV	ICE / Gasoline
Volvo Trucks North America
	2002 Volvo VNM	ICE / Diesel
	2003 Volvo VN780 Tech Truck	ICE / Diesel
ZAP	2004 Zap Heibao HV	Electric Motor
	2003 Zap LUV	Electric Motor