Goodyear unveils '90% sustainable' road-approved tire

Akron, Ohio – Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has advanced sustainability efforts with the unveiling of a 90% sustainable-material demo tire and plans to sell '70% sustainable' tires this year.

In a statement 4 Jan, the US tire maker said the demo tire had “passed all applicable regulatory testing” as well as Goodyear’s internal testing for road use.

In tests, the demo tire showed a lower rolling resistance compared to a reference tire made with conventional materials, potentially enhancing fuel efficiency and carbon footprint.

Goodyear used 17 sustainable ingredients across 12 different components to create the 90% sustainable-material tire.

These included four different types of carbon black, produced from methane, carbon dioxide, plant-based oil and end-of-life tire pyrolysis oil feedstocks.

Furthermore, the tire maker used soybean oil in the demo tire to keep the rubber compound pliable in changing temperatures. Rice husk waste-residue silica, meanwhile, replaces conventional silica.

Polyester used in tire cords is recycled from post-consumer bottles, while traditional petroleum-based resins have been replaced with bio-renewable pine tree resins.

Bead wire and steel cord are produced using the 'electric arc furnace' process, which allows steel to be produced using less energy and with higher recyclate-content.

The launch of the tire, which also features ISCC-certified mass balance polymers from bio- and bio-circular feedstock, follows Goodyear’s unveiling of a '70% sustainable' demo tire a year ago.

In its latest announcement, the Akron-based group said it intended to “sell a tire with up to 70% sustainable-material content” this year.

To bring a 90% sustainable-material tire to market, Goodyear said it would need to collaborate further with its supply-base to reach commercial scale volumes.

“We continue to make progress toward our goal of introducing the first 100% sustainable-material tire in the industry by 2030,” said Chris Helsel, SVP global operations and CTO.

ERJ is requesting further information from Goodyear about these developments.