Who is the main antagonist, Miles Axlerod, in Pixar's Cars 2?

Miles Axlerod is the main antagonist of Pixar's Cars 2.

Axlerod is introduced as a former oil baron who claims to have converted himself into an electric car. He creates the World Grand Prix to promote Allinol, a supposedly clean alternative fuel and the event's official sponsor.

The film later reveals that Axlerod is secretly directing a conspiracy designed to discredit Allinol. Cars fitted with the fuel are targeted by a weapon that causes their engines to malfunction, creating global fear about alternative energy. His plan is discovered by Mater, Lightning McQueen, and their allies.

Cars 2 shifts the franchise toward international espionage, with races in Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. Because Professor Zündapp is a prominent henchman, viewers sometimes identify him as the main villain, but Axlerod is the character behind the wider plot.