Goodyear reveals successful trial of 90 percent eco-friendly tyre
It comes ahead of the company's goal of introducing the industries first 100 percent sustainable-material tyre by 2030
Goodyear has revealed a trial tyre that comprises 90 percent eco-friendly materials has successfully undergone internal assessments for both safety and performance.
According to the company, the tyre passed all regulatory testing and showed lower rolling resistance compared to traditional tyre materials.
It comes after Goodyear announced last year that it achieved success in constructing a tyre made from 70 percent sustainable materials ahead of production commencing later this year.
The demonstration tyre contains 17 ingredients across 12 different tyre components, such as carbon black. Instead of petroleum-based products, carbon black is derived from four sustainable sources: methane, carbon dioxide, plant-based oil and recycled tyre pyrolysis oil. It is said to extend tyre life by reinforcing the compound.
Meanwhile, Soybean, a by-product of soy protein food and animal feed production, helps keep the compound flexible in varying temperatures.
Claimed to enhance traction and minimize rolling resistance for greater fuel efficiency, Goodyear has also added Rice-husk waste silica, which is a by-product of rice processing.
The company's senior vice president and chief technology officer, Chris Helsel, stated that the demonstration tyre is a step towards the company's goal of introducing the first 100 percent sustainable-material tyre in the industry by 2030.
Goodyear already uses sustainable materials in some of its current product lines, including soybean oil in eight product lines and RHA silica, which has more than doubled in usage since 2018.
The new tyre still uses polyester, but it's made from recycled plastic bottles that are transformed into the high-grade polymer used for the tyre’s internal structure.