Sustainable tyres are the future of the tyre industry. The need for sustainable tyres is now becoming critical as the traditional tyre production process involves a lot of wastage and non-environment friendly products. The need for sustainable tyres is not just a part of technological development anymore; it has now become a necessary action.
Sustainable tyres are tyres that are produced from old tyres. These tyres are produced by recycling old tyres and are recyclable as well. The process of making these tyres reduces a lot of tyre waste thus become eco-friendly tyres. It is a fact that tyres are not recycled easily thus becoming a safety hazard to the environment.
Sustainable tyres work on a technology that involves the usage of recycled components, whereas, traditional tyres use brand new materials in the process. The experience however provided by these tyres is just the same like traditional tyres.
Some of the major tyre companies in the industry have already started to bring about this technological change in their tyre making process. Companies like Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin have been the pioneers in the production of these tyres. The production of sustainable tyres will also create more job opportunities in the whole process of sourcing recycled tyres and producing new ones.
Although the production of sustainable tyres has started in some companies, it will take time for them to fully take over traditional tyres. The reason for this is that it will take a lot of time for people to accept and buy these tyres because of the current trend. Also, the cost of these tyres is going to be high due to technological changes and increased cost of production.
Sustainability cannot be measured only on a single basis. There are brands that are contributing to the production of other types of eco-friendly tyres. These tyres are not only environment-friendly but also enhance the performance of the vehicle by minimising fuel consumption. They also reduce the emission of carbon to the environment. These include tyres from brands like Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin. Let’s look at some of the salient features of these tyres and how do they differ from usual tyres:
- Rubber compound contains Silica: Unlike the usual tyres which are prepared with a high content of natural and synthetic rubber, eco-friendly tyres are manufactured with synthetic rubber containing a high proportion of silica. Silica reduces the friction between the road and tyre enabling smooth movement and thus enhancing the performance. Brands like Bridgestone are using rubber derived from plants and are reducing the use of petroleum products. Michelin and Goodyear are working on finding substitutes for natural rubber. Soya bean oil has been known to have characteristics that increase tread life.
- Much improved tread patterns: Tread is responsible to provide longevity to the tyres. The better the tread, the longer the tyre runs. Green tyres have a much-improved tread with increased content of silica. This reduces the wear and tear on the tread and provides better durability. Enhancing the life of tyres results in lesser number of tyre replacements, which saves the material used in manufacturing. This is also how it contributes to the environment.
- Increased fuel efficiency: Rubber compound used on green tyres reduces friction and offers good traction. Lower rolling resistance provided by eco-friendly tyres reduces engine load and increases fuel-efficiency.
Sustainable tyres will bring about a major change in the tyre industry. This is one of the most sustainable innovations in the auto industry which is working towards benefiting the environment.
Source – TyreCafe
