Michelin Marks June 5 With Fuel Savings Report

June 5 is the United Nations’ World Environment Day – I’m sure you’re already aware of this and have planned a suitable celebration for later in the evening – and Michelin has revved up the festivities by preparing a report on the savings generated by its most recent car and truck tyre line-ups since their launch in 2008.

Michelin calculates that, thanks to these latest car and truck tyres, overall fuel consumption has been reduced by more than 66.7 million litres and CO2 emissions by more than 134,000 tonnes. The company points out the active role it plays in reducing the cost and environmental impact of road transport, noting that tyres consume one tank of fuel out of five for cars and one out of three for trucks. The company’s goal, says Michelin, is to design tyres that help to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining the same high performance in the areas of safety and tread life.

The most recent Michelin passenger car tyre developed using this technology is the Energy Saver, of which 23 million units have been sold since its European market launch in early 2008. These tyres have reduced overall fuel consumption by 65.6 million litres, reports Michelin. This is the equivalent of 1.3 million full tanks of fuel (based upon the results of a test conducted by TÜV SÜD Automotive in 2007). Using these figures, the Energy saver tyres have helped to reduce CO2 emissions by 131,000 tonnes, equal to the amount that would have been produced by 73,000 cars in one year. In its one and a half years on the market the Energy Saver has been certified for use on more than 100 vehicles. This, comments Michelin, is an outstanding achievement, given that tyres are generally certified for use on 20 to 40 vehicles over that period of time.

In May 2008 Michelin’s truck division brought out the new X Energy Savergreen in a single size—315/70 R 22.5. Since then, the tyre is calculated to have reduced overall fuel consumption by 1.1 million litres and CO2 emissions by 3,000 tonnes. Michelin reports that the tyre alone can help reduce fuel consumption by 500 litres a year per truck. The X Energy Savergreen, the manufacturer notes, was also designed to deliver superior performance in three areas, delivering exceptional longevity and increased safety in addition to fuel savings.