Goodyear showcases Eagle GO concept tyre on Citroën oli

Using a range of sustainable materials in the tyre tread compound, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has developed the Eagle GO. This concept tyre is fitted to Citroën’s new concept car, oli. The Eagle GO is the third Goodyear concept tyre developed with Citroën.

The focus was on optimising durability, comfort and, of course, efficiency. The concept tyre uses a tread compound almost entirely made from sustainable or recycled materials, including sunflower oils, pine tree resins, natural rubber and rice husk ash silica.

Sunflower oils and pine tree resins, materials currently used to make ‘vegetable ink’ for printers, replace petroleum-derived oils. Goodyear aims to fully replace petroleum-derived oils in its products by 2040. Rice husk ash silica from rice processing can reduce waste going to landfills and has previously been used in reinforced concrete.

Goodyear says the Eagle GO concept can potentially be renewed twice across its lifetime. The tyre maker has set an objective for the Eagle GO to achieve up to 500,000 kilometres or 310,000 miles through the reuse of the casing and tread.

Intelligent technology

The Eagle GO concept uses Goodyear SightLine technology, which includes a sensor that monitors a variety of tyre health parameters. This technology is already being applied to help Goodyear fleet customers and could significantly reduce waste and increase efficiency by maintaining ideal pressure and tyre condition. Monitoring tyre health is an important factor in determining whether or when a tyre can be renewed, thus increasing circularity and efficiency. Goodyear says that adding this technology to this concept tyre is in line with its goal to reinvent tyres and service, delivering data-and-sensor-enabled intelligence in all new products by 2027.

“Tyre architecture has come a long way by incorporating sustainable materials and smart technologies,“ says Laurent Colantonio, regional technology director Consumer EMEA. “With Citroën, we have a relationship that provides a great testbed for developing and testing new technologies and techniques.

“Concept tyres are a fantastic way for Goodyear to research and develop ground-breaking technologies that can make its way into our products. The learnings from this project will go towards our future as a mobility enabler that consistently innovates its products and services.”