Japanese manufacturer Yokohama’s BluEarth designation, used to denote its most ecologically-sound tyres, is described by the Japanese manufacturer as “far more than simply a product label.” BluEarth demonstrates the company’s commitment to minimising the impact of tyre production and use while providing drivers with the optimum combination of performance and safety.
Toyo’s new New NanoEnergy 3 is the latest addition to its NanoEnergy range and is aimed squarely at the compact and mid-range car sector. As with all preceding NanoEnergy models, the latest incarnation of these popular tyres offers safety, durability, fuel savings and efficiency characteristics, states the manufacturer.
Hankook’s new winter tyre, the i*cept RS² has been named the “Auto Bild Eco-Master 2015”, top in the category amongst 50 brands. The tyre, for city, compact and medium-sized cars was tested in an independent supertest by Auto Bild, Europe’s highest circulation car magazine.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries will present its latest “Advanced 4D Nano Design” materials development technology at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show, with a booth displaying both Falken Tyre and Dunlop brands. The show runs 29 October to 8 November 2015 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan. In Europe, Falken tyres have achieved double-digit performance improvements with the earlier application of these design techniques used to develop Ecorun-branded products. With a Dunlop-branded version already on sale in Japan Sumitomo has already previewed a prototype Falken “fossil fuel-free” tyre for the European market, and the 4D Nano design process has been used in their development too.
The average difference in fuel consumption gained by fitting tyres with a ‘B’ EU tyre label fuel efficiency rating instead of ‘F’ rated tyres is around 4.1 per cent, suggests a test carried out in Germany. The six-vehicle test was jointly conducted by Chemical manufacturer Lanxess and energy provider RheinEnergie as part of a project run together by RheinEnergy and the City of Cologne over the last few years.
Sumitomo’s “fossil fuel-free” tyre was one of the products on display at European brand, Falken Tyre’s Reifen 2014 stand, and while the tyre is still in development for the European market (as opposed to the Dunlop-branded version on sale in Japan), Falken has embraced a commitment to greener tyres similar to that of some higher-priced premium brands. The manufacturer’s Ecorun range, with patterns such as the Ziex ZE914 and Sincera SN832, distinguish its more environmentally-friendly products, with notably large improvements in their performance achieved in the last few years.
Yokohama says its BluEarth range demonstrates its commitment to reducing its environmental impact globally. The BluEarth AE-01 tyre encompasses much of Yokohama’s environmental technology and experience. The company pioneered “Orange Oil technology”, in which oil from the skin of citrus fruit is used to replace mineral ingredients in the tyre itself, reducing the petroleum-based constituents […]
In the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) rankings, Michelin was an industry leader in six categories, including Innovation Management, Product Stewardship, Climate Strategy and Environmental Management, attesting to its global performance in the area of sustainable development. Pirelli has also been recognised by the DJSI. The DJSI ranking recognizes Michelin for its efforts to […]
As the first brand to achieve passenger car tyre double-A grading on both the European and the Japanese tyre labels with the EP001S, Bridgestone’s Ecopia product range must be considered one of the leading eco tyre ranges in the current, post-labelling era. More noticeably, in terms of the shape of the product at least, Bridgestone’s EP500 “ologic” large and narrow tyre is a signifier that more radical product design decisions are making it to production. While the terminology for tyres designed to be eco-friendly is not exactly fixed, with definitions subject to subtle variations depending on the manufacturer, the presence of a rolling resistance A or B-grade on both major tyre labels to use this measurement seems a fair way to define an eco tyre. Yet for premium brands, the label grades can only be one part of the picture, as the end user is likely to be more discerning about their product choice, having paid generally a higher price for the product.
For the second consecutive year Pirelli reports that it is the only tyre company present in the ”Global Compact 100” sustainability index, launched last year by UN Global Compact in collaboration with Sustainalytics.
Rice husk waste once headed for landfills is now helping The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company produce fuel-efficient tyres. Goodyear today announced it will utilise ash left over from the burning of rice husks to produce electricity as an environmentally friendly source of silica for use in its tyres.
Having cemented ninth position in Tyres & Accessories table of leading global tyre manufacturers, Maxxis brought a confident and spacious stand to Hall 3 in Essen, selecting European focused PCR products from its expansive range. While the manufacturer has often focused on affordable ultra-high performance products, it chose to launch its latest fuel efficient model for medium and smaller cars, the Energtra MEco3 at Reifen.
Taiwanese manufacturer Nankang (Hall 3, 3B27) has announced its plans to introduce three new tyres designed for European conditions from its stand at Reifen 2014. Targeting different functions and applications, the UHP AS-2, eco-tyre NA-1 and all-season N-607+ will “provide comprehensive capabilities without compromising in comfort,” according to the manufacturer. In addition to the new products, Nankang will shine a spotlight on the ECO-2+, “the first tyre produced in Taiwan to be awarded a TÜV performance mark” the company states, at the exhibition.
Recently the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) gave word that trials of a new eco tyre specification (standard number XXZB/LT-102-2014) began in China on 1 March. Chemical manufacturer Lanxess, which is currently participating in the CRIA-hosted China Rubber Conference in Qingdao, has provided additional information on the specification: it says the Green Tire Technology Specification is based on the tyre label introduced in the European Union in November 2012.
The latest generation of low rolling resistance tyres can pat themselves on the back – they have played a role in enabling the UK car parc to reach, and pass, the 2015 EU-wide average emission target of 130g/km CO2. According to the ‘New Car CO2 Report 2014’ published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today, the average new car in the UK now emits 128.3g/km CO2 – a 3.6 per cent decrease over last year.
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