UK tire maker Enso a finalist in royal environmental awards

London – UK-based tire start-up Enso has been named as a finalist in the ‘clean our air’ category for the Earthshot Prize environmental award.

Founded by the UK's prince William in 2020, the awards aim to “discover and help scale” innovative climate and environmental solutions to protect and restore the planet.

Along with 14 other finalists, electric vehicles (EV) tires maker Enso said it was selected via a “rigorous selection process” involving over 1,100 Earthshot nominees.

The recognition comes as Enso prepares to launch a $25-million fund-raising round during New York Climate Week (17-24 Sept), the London-based firm added 19 Sept.

The start-up is developing tires that “reduce harmful tire pollution, whilst improving durability, performance and maintaining a cost-effective product for consumers.”

“While we can’t make a tire last forever, we can make them last a lot longer, and pollute a lot less,” said Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, founder and CEO of Enso.

Enso’s technology, Erlendsson went on to claim can ‘double’ tire durability and thereby halve tire pollution.

In February, Enso reported trial results showing that, compared to "mainstream competitor products," its tires increase EV range by 10% and cut particulate emissions by 35%.

However, the company was unable, at that stage, to provide ERJ with further details about the trials or the competitor products its tires were tested against.

Enso did state that test measurements were overseen by Emissions Analytics, an independent specialist in emissions measurement and monitoring.