In 2020, Goodyear is committed to developing a tire made from 100% recyclable material by 2030. The manufacturer still has eight years to achieve this, and the first prototypes presented indicate that the brand is on the right track. Proof of this is with this tire made from 70% durable materials.
At the end of 2020, a damning report from the OECD stated that tires and brakes will pollute more than greenhouse gases by 2035. The fault in particular is the wear of these elements, which will generate more fine particles than thermal engines. Knowing this, it is no wonder that many tire manufacturers are looking into the problem and try to reduce the ecological footprint of their products as much as possible.
From 2020, Goodyear had also committed to producing a tire made from 100% recyclable materials by 2035.. Since then, the brand has presented various “green” tires, like the ReCharge, a tire that repairs itself by means of small cartridges which diffuse a liquid to fill the holes.
More recently, the brand announced the launch of tires optimized for Tesla and electric vehicles, which notably feature greater durability and better rolling resistance. And this Wednesday, January 5, 2022, the manufacturer has unveiled a new prototype that contains 70% sustainable materials.
“We have set ourselves an ambitious goal in 2020: to create a tire made from 100% sustainable materials within 10 years, and our scientists and engineers have made great strides towards that goal. This is an exciting achievement that demonstrates our commitment to increasing the use of sustainable materials in our tires ”, says Chris Helsel, senior vice president of global operations and chief technology officer of Goodyear.
Also read: Continental unveils tires made with dandelions and recycled water bottles
Goodyear is on the right track for its 100% green tire
To go into details, this ecological tire is manufactured “with 13 star ingredients spread over 9 different tire components ”. There are three carbon blacks. Traditionally, this material is made by burning various types of petroleum products. But this time around, Goodyear chose to produce it from methane, carbon dioxide and vegetable oil. Results, the manufacture of these carbon blacks is less polluting.
Goodyear also used soybean oil in the manufacturing process. She allows to “maintain the flexibility of the rubber compound of the tires in the event of a change in temperature ”. To get silica, a component used in tires to improve grip and reduce fuel consumption, Goodyear has created a unique variety made from rice hull ash.
It is a by-product of rice processing, often thrown away and landfilled. As for the polyester, used for the tire cords, it is made with bottles and other plastic waste. For the moment, this tire is not intended for sale and therefore only serves to testify to the progress of Goodyear’s work on the subject.
