Eco-friendly tires are an important advancement for the automotive industry. As we move toward a greener future, tires that are more environmentally sustainable are becoming increasingly necessary.
With transportation accounting for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, tires can play a significant role in reducing emissions from driving.
The tire industry has made great strides when it comes to developing more eco-friendly options.
From using renewable materials to improving rolling resistance, new tire technologies are helping drivers go green on the road.
Consumers are also starting to seek out greener tires, especially as gas prices rise and environmental concerns grow.
This article will provide an overview of the latest innovations in eco-friendly tire design and how they are leading the way to more sustainable driving.
We’ll examine the different approaches manufacturers are taking to create more environmentally responsible tires.
We’ll also look at new regulations aimed at encouraging the adoption of green tires.
While the technology is still evolving, eco-friendly tires promise to offer important benefits for the planet in the years ahead.
Reduce Rolling Resistance
One way tire manufacturers are creating more eco-friendly tires is by reducing rolling resistance.
Rolling resistance is the friction between a tire and the road surface. The higher the rolling resistance, the more energy is required to keep a vehicle moving.
This extra energy to overcome friction leads to higher fuel consumption and emissions.
Research shows that a 10% reduction in rolling resistance can improve fuel economy by 1-2%.
Tire makers are using advanced materials and tread designs to reduce friction while maintaining traction and durability.
Silica is now commonly used in place of carbon black, which provides lower rolling resistance. Lighter weight materials are also being utilized, putting less strain on the engine.
Reducing rolling resistance allows cars and trucks to travel farther on the same amount of fuel.
The improvements add up over the lifetime of a tire, resulting in significant fuel savings and emission reductions.
Eco-friendly low rolling resistance tires are an important advancement as automakers continue working to improve the overall efficiency of vehicles.
With collaborations across industries, tires will continue getting greener in the years ahead.
Use Renewable Materials
Traditional tires are made using materials derived from crude oil, such as synthetic rubber.
An eco-friendly alternative is to manufacture tires partially or fully from renewable, plant-based materials.
One innovative material is orange oil. The California-based company Orange Oil has partnered with tire manufacturers to create a biodegradable tire made with orange oil extracted from orange peels.
The oil replaces petroleum-based ingredients and allows the tires to decompose much faster when discarded.
Soybeans are another eco-friendly source for tires. Cooper Tire partnered with Yulex Corporation to develop tires made with guayule plant-based materials and natural rubber from the guayule shrub.
The BioRubber content comes from the Yulex patented process of extracting latex from guayule plants farmed in arid soil.
Besides orange oil and soybeans, other plant-based options are being explored, like pine resin, dandelions, sunflowers, potatoes, and rice hulls.
These renewable materials allow manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint of tires and their reliance on finite fossil fuel resources.
As research continues, expect wider adoption of materials from sustainable agriculture to achieve a greener, more circular production system.
The ideal future will see renewable materials make up a majority of ingredients in new tires.
Reduce Tire Weight
One way tire manufacturers are creating more eco-friendly tires is by reducing tire weight. Heavy tires require more fuel to move, so lighter tires can improve fuel economy.
Tire makers are increasingly using lightweight materials in tire construction to reduce overall weight.
Some newer tires use lightweight synthetic and natural rubber blends in place of 100% natural rubber.
These innovative rubber compounds maintain strength and grip while weighing less.
Manufacturers are also using lighter weight steel and polyester in tire belts and plies.
The steel and polyester cords provide strength and structure while weighing 20-30% less than traditional steel belts. This reduces the tire’s rolling resistance as well.
Lighter carbon black is being utilized in some tire treads instead of heavier carbon black.
This allows for a lighter tread without compromising traction and wear life. Silica is another material gaining traction as a lighter weight alternative to traditional carbon black.
The end result is tires that provide the same performance, durability and safety as conventional tires, but with less overall weight.
This improves fuel efficiency and reduces environmental impact. As automakers continue striving for greater fuel economy, eco-friendly lightweight tires will play an important role in greening transportation.
Improve Tread Life
Advancements in tire tread design and rubber compounds are enabling tires to last longer before needing to be replaced.
Tire manufacturers are focused on increasing tread life through innovative tread patterns and use of advanced, durable rubber compounds.
One way tire life is extended is by optimizing the tread pattern to distribute wear evenly across the tire’s surface.
Conventional tire treads tend to wear faster in the middle as most driving occurs in straight lines. New asymmetric and directional tread designs aim to spread out the wear for more uniform tire use.
Tires such as Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4 use a tread pattern engineered to deliver longer mileage performance.
Tire compounds are also being enhanced to be more resistant to wear and help tires maintain tread depth longer. Silica has become a key ingredient mixed with tire rubber to boost tread life span.
The durability of the rubber can be further increased by adding proprietary polymers and plasticizers during manufacturing. These advanced compounds enable the tread to remain usable for more miles before requiring replacement.
Improved tread life not only saves consumers money by extending time between tire replacements, but also reduces waste and environmental impact since fewer tires end up in landfills.
As tread innovations continue, eco-friendly high mileage tires will become the new normal.
Recycle Old Tires
Tire recycling is one area where innovative solutions are making old tires useful again. Around the world, efforts are underway to recycle and upcycle old tires.
For example, old tires can be shredded into crumbs and mixed with asphalt to create road surfaces.
Adding tire crumbs improves the durability and longevity of the asphalt, reducing the need for new pavement.
Some estimates show using tire crumbs can extend the life of roads by up to 10 years.
Tire recycling is also finding use in playground and recreational surfaces. Shredded tires can be turned into porous rubber mats, providing cushion and fall protection.
Sports fields and tracks use recycled tire crumbs as infill between the blades of synthetic turf. The crumbs provide support and shock absorption.
Energy recovery represents another key use for recycled tires. Tires can be burned in cement kilns as a supplemental fuel source, reducing the need for fossil fuels.
In some cases, old tires are even being converted into tire-derived fuel to directly replace coal at power plants.
As tire recycling methods advance, eco-friendly driving will only increase. With innovations to reuse old tires instead of sending them to landfills, the auto industry moves one step closer to circular economy designs.
Reduce Noise
One way tire manufacturers are creating more eco-friendly tires is by reducing noise levels.
Traditional tire treads can produce a loud hum or whirring noise as they roll, especially at high speeds.
This not only contributes to road noise pollution but also leads to driver fatigue.
Newer tires are being designed with different tread patterns and rubber compounds to dampen noise.
Some use a mix of hard and soft rubbers in the tread blocks to absorb sound rather than reflect it.
Others have tread designs with varying pitch frequencies or small sipes that break up noise. Additional sound absorbing materials are also being tested.
Michelin’s Pax System tires embed a layer of polyurethane foam under the tread to absorb vibration.
Bridgestone’s Turanza Serenity line uses smaller tread blocks and serrated edges to reduce pattern noise.
Goodyear’s Assurance ComforTred tires mix soft and firm rubbers in unique ways to minimize sound.
Manufacturers claim these low noise tires can reduce interior vehicle noise by 3-4 decibels compared to older models.
This is a noticeable reduction that improves the overall driving experience. With advancements in materials and tread technology, drivers can enjoy a quieter and more relaxing drive without giving up performance.
New Regulations
Governments around the world are implementing new regulations to promote the adoption of eco-friendly tires.
These regulations are aimed at reducing the environmental impact of tires by setting standards for things like rolling resistance, materials, and noise levels.
In 2012, the European Union introduced mandatory labeling requirements for tires sold in Europe.
The labels provide information on a tire’s fuel efficiency, wet grip performance, and noise levels.
This allows consumers to easily compare tires and make informed choices. The EU regulations also set minimum standards for rolling resistance that tires must meet in order to be sold in Europe.
Lower rolling resistance translates directly into improved fuel economy.
The United States has also recently implemented new standards for rolling resistance through its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is requiring automakers to meet fleet-wide average fuel economy targets, which incentivizes the adoption of low rolling resistance tires.
In addition, several U.S. states have passed laws banning the landfilling of used tires. This helps drive efforts to recycle and repurpose old tires.
California enacted such a law in 1990, one of the first states to do so. Landfill bans help reduce environmental pollution while also creating an economic impetus for tire manufacturers to establish recycling programs.
As eco-friendly tire technology continues advancing, we can expect to see more stringent government standards emerge.
Stronger regulations will compel manufacturers to further improve rolling resistance, materials, tread life, and noise levels.
This progression of tighter rules will accelerate the adoption of greener tires worldwide. Consumers will benefit from increased fuel efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Consumer Adoption
Eco-friendly tires are slowly gaining traction among consumers, but hesitations remain. Many drivers are interested in the promise of lower rolling resistance and improved fuel economy.
However, some consumers lack awareness about the technology or remain unconvinced of the benefits.
Others cite higher upfront costs as a barrier, even if lifetime savings offset the initial price premium.
Additional consumer concerns involve uncertainty around traction, handling, and safety compared to traditional tires.
Manufacturers strive to engineer eco-tires to match the performance of standard tires, but lingering doubts persist.
Some early adopters had poor experiences, encountering quality control issues, which damaged consumer confidence.
Moving forward, education and marketing efforts must demonstrate verifiable eco-tire benefits to consumers.
Continued innovation and testing will also help assuage lingering doubts about traction and handling.
If manufacturers successfully address early quality problems, word-of-mouth and independent testing results can rebuild consumer trust.
As production scales, costs should decrease as well, lowering the price barrier to adoption.
Overall, consumers display cautious optimism regarding eco-tires. But manufacturers still face challenges in proving benefits, instilling confidence, and reducing costs.
Overcoming these hurdles can accelerate consumer adoption, leading to greener, more fuel-efficient driving.
The Future
As eco-friendly tires continue to improve, projections show strong growth and innovation in the coming years.
Several key trends will shape the future of green tires:
- Increased adoption of silica tread compounds to reduce rolling resistance. Silica can improve fuel efficiency by up to 8% compared to carbon black tread rubber. Major manufacturers are transitioning more production capacity to silica-based tires.
- New renewable materials derived from plants instead of petrochemicals. Oils from the guayule shrub, taraxacum dandelion, and Russian dandelion show promise as renewable rubber sources. These plants require less water and chemicals to grow than traditional rubber trees.
- Advances in 3D printing and AI design that allow more customized tread patterns and compounds. This can optimize rolling resistance, noise reduction, grip, and durability for specific vehicle makes and models.
- Stronger government regulations on tire efficiency and sustainability. Stricter standards, taxes, and carbon reduction schemes will incentivize the development and adoption of greener tires. The European Union aims to require a 10% reduction in rolling resistance for all new tires by 2030.
- Emerging tire recycling technologies to increase reuse of materials. New processes like pyrolysis can convert old tires into new rubber, oil, gas, and carbon that can serve as inputs for fresh tire production. This could create a circular economy for tires.
With tire manufacturers, researchers, and governments focused on sustainability, eco-friendly tires will continue improving and gain mainstream adoption in the coming decade.
The result will be meaningful reductions in transportation emissions as green tires roll out across the world’s vehicles.
