Goodyear taps soybean oil in new commercial tire

Akron, Ohio – Goodyear has advanced its ambitions to fully replace petroleum-derived oils in its tires by 2040 with the release of commercial tires partially made with soybean oil compound.

In a statement 4 May, the tire maker said it used soybean oil “in the majority” of city transit tires Metro Miler G152 and G652 tires, replacing petroleum-based materials.

“[This] is a significant Goodyear innovation that reduces the amount of petroleum-based materials needed for production,” said Dustin Lancy, commercial product marketing manager, Goodyear North America.

According to Lancy, soybean oil replaces about 11 liquid ounces of free-flowing petroleum oil per tire – almost as much as a traditional soda can.

Once multiplied by a bus fleet of 1,600 buses – roughly the size used by some metropolitan cities in the US – the replacement could amount to 20 fewer barrels of oil, he added.

According to Goodyear, the tire models made with soybean oil are currently in production and available for ordering.

The formulation uses “a readily available surplus of soybean oil” that is left over from food applications in the marketplace, the tire maker added.