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Sustainable mobility: Volvo Car Corporation spotlights latest advanced low-emission technologies and design solutions at Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai.

1 October 2004

Volvo Car Corporation will spotlight its leading edge low emission technology and design solutions geared to help preserve the environment with a range of production and concept cars at the international Michelin Challenge Bibendum clean vehicles competition in Shanghai, China, October 12-14.

Volvo Car Corporation is showcasing a comprehensive range of automobiles in the sixth international Michelin Challenge Bibendum competition in Shanghai, China – the first time the prestigious event has been staged in Asia.

Apart from an all new, radically innovative electric concept vehicle called the Volvo 3CC, Volvo Car Corporation will also be demonstrating three current production vehicles: its highly-rated Volvo S60 PZEV, the powerful, yet emission-kindly Volvo S80 T6 and the Volvo S80 Bi-Fuel vehicle.

Created in 1998 to promote sustainable mobility by confronting the challenges of emissions and congestion, Michelin Challenge Bibendum is a powerful force bringing together automakers, policy makers, the media and others to explore mobility solutions. It is the only event of its kind to compare the results of vehicles powered by conventional and alternative energy and propulsion systems.

"For Volvo, our participation is not about showing rhetorical concept cars, but to demonstrate do-able ideas about how to deliver sustainable mobility for future generations," says Volvo Car Corporation spokesman Dan Werbin, Director Volvo Cars North America.

"Our job is to be innovative in giving consumers smart mobility choices that also reduce environmental impact and still be safe and exciting".

Understanding sustainable mobility is beyond the scope of any one company or country to solve, requiring global cooperation and effort, Volvo believes it has a key role to encourage a dialogue between industry, consumers, policy makers and decision takers.

Volvo’s keynote product in Shanghai will be the Volvo 3CC, a sport car with a ‘surprise in the back’. Brainchild of the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in California, the exciting Volvo concept is a small, safe environmentally compatible car designed to deliver a ‘WOW’ effect.

"We will demonstrate a working ultra-cool machine proving our case that an energy efficient, versatile and safe car can also look really, really good," says Dan Werbin.

Volvo Car Corporation sees the exciting vehicle, with its advanced materials and powertrain technology as well as meticulous aerodynamics, as a tangible ‘demonstrator’ of a future where Volvo is heading.

Dan Werbin adds: "The Volvo 3CC moves us towards a totally new mobility perspective of not using more car than you need at a particular moment."

Other Volvo Car Corporation highlights at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum include its Volvo S60 PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) sedan, which has the highest environmental ranking of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Volvo Car Corporation will also show its acclaimed Bi-Fuel Volvo S80 car, which runs on methane (CNG or biogas) backed-up by petrol. Biogas reduces greenhouse gases close to 100 percent, while CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) reduces greenhouse gases by approximately 25 percent. Over 10,000 Volvo Bi-Fuel vehicles have been sold in Europe since 1995 where it is widely fueled using renewable methane, biogas, to effectively eliminate the emission of greenhouse gases.

Another entrant is the powerful six-cylinder Volvo S80 T6 sedan – with a powertrain delivering 272 brake horsepower. The stylish Volvo S80 T6 blends luxury and high performance, smoothness and advanced strict emission control eliminating up to 98 percent of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gases.

For Dan Werbin, participating in the Shanghai event is "a positive way to drive technical innovation reconciling mobility, safety and the environment. It’s a plus that the event is being held in China, where many millions of people want to enjoy the freedom of mobility."

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