Green Tyres can change the face of the earth and the air that we breathe. It is estimated that these tyres will help us save about a whopping 20 billion litres of fuel a year and would knock down carbon dioxide emissions by 50 million tonnes. This is assuming, of course, that Green Tyres are the only types of tyres available and hence every car is fitted with only these.
Green tyres are made up of over 200 raw materials. In fact 20 plus different grades of natural rubber. To lower rolling resistance, these tyres include tightly bonded rubber compounded inside the tread. Fuel consumption to an extent of 30% is a factor of rolling resistance. Also, CO2 emmission is also influenced by the rolling resistance. Green tyres, therefore, help reduce the carbon footprint by about 250 kg/year.
Low rolling resistance of the Green Tyres does not mean that they provide less grip. The tyres can in fact be more efficient than regular tyres.
The regular tyres also damage the environment greatly. May be, no other product has faced as much as tyres have in being totally ‘un-ecofriendly’. Burning tyres was once the most common method to dispose off old tyres. Tall piles of scrap tyres are still sighted. Of course, the tyre manufacturers are extremely alert to such negative perceptions (of their buyers) and have been taking steps to counter this by coming up with tyres that are not as bad for the environment.
Researchers find that about 85% of the green house emissions is because the regular tyres make engines consume more fuel because of their inefficient (read as un-ecofriendly) design. Statistically speaking, every additional liter of petrol consumed by a tyre with poor rolling resistance contributes two kilograms of CO2 as emissions.
While on the subject of eco-friendly tyres, let us have a quick look at Continental Tyres’ R&D outcome, called Dandelion Latex extracted from Dandelion flower oil. This latex is being seen as an alternative to the natural rubber – constituting about 30% of a tyre. The tread is made completely using the latex extracted from the Russian variety of Dandeliaons Since Dandellions can be cultivated easily (when compared to rubber trees) and grow in any weather conditions, the manufacturer also be happy about the price-stability and regular availability that it brings to the table. In fact, dandelian crops can be grown next to the tyre factories – possible anywhere in the world – and harvested when required for tyre manufacturing.
Other companies are also innovating on the Green Tyre front. Goodyear Tyres is working on a soya bean oil-based tyre manufacturing method. According to Good Year’s R&D soyabean oil combines smoothly with Silica and also reduces manufacturing cost itself. The company estimates that introducing Soya Bean oil will reduce the oil use by 2.64 crore liters per year.
In case you are interested in manufacturing tyres the eco-friendly way, and would like to consult an expert, please let the people at Consultiger know. They will be able to help you with going GREEN.
As we end this blog, we would like you to view Good Year’s concept tyre that is truly Green. It may or may not be commercialised, but will certainly give hope for the future. Here you go, Concept Tyre from Good Year.
