Goodyear shows fuel-saving tire with 90% sustainable materials
Source: https://ktla.com/automotive/goodyear-shows-fuel-saving-tire-with-90-sustainable-materials/
Author: Stephen Edelstein
Goodyear has developed a tire made from 90% sustainable materials that can also save fuel, but it’s not destined for production just yet. Lower rolling resistance improves efficiency, meaning this tire would be a good fit for EVs or models designed to maximize gas mileage. Goodyear claims to have used 17 major ingredients, including 12 different tire components that are either sustainably sourced or at least have a lower environmental impact than comparable materials currently used in production tires. One example is carbon black, which is used to reinforce the rubber compound in tires and is generally made by burning petroleum products. For this demonstration tire, Goodyear used four different types of carbon black made using methane, carbon dioxide, plant-based oil, and end-of-life tire pyrolysis oil feedstocks, which the company says result in lower carbon emissions from the production process. Goodyear also used soybean oil, made from surplus soy from food and animal feed, to keep the rubber compound pliable in different temperatures. This is something Goodyear is already using using on some production tires. The company says eight of its product lines, including some racing tires, include soybean oil. Other highlights include silica made from rice husk waste residue, recycled polyester from bottles, renewable pine-tree resins, polymers from bio-feedstock, and recycled steel for the cords. The steel is produced in an electric arc furnace, which requires less energy and allows for a higher level of recycled content than other processes, Goodyear claims.