Many international manufacturers view a good EU tyre label result as a benchmark of product performance. At the end of 2018, Prinx Chengshan’s research and development centre in China began work on its ‘AA1’ project, with the aim of developing a product achieving the best label category for wet grip, rolling resistance and noise. The tyre maker reports that it’s achieved its goal.
Pirelli says its tyres will be become safer and greener in the coming five years, and will come to market more quickly, too. The company has outlined its performance targets for the Pirelli passenger vehicle range within its new 2020-2022 Industrial Plan, which was approved on Wednesday
Nynas is attending Tire Technology Expo in Hannover, Germany, 25-27 February 2020 where the company is showing how tyres made with Nynas oils provide “low rolling resistance, reducing energy losses and fuel consumption, while maintaining wet grip for improved control on snow and ice.” Performance of naphthenic oil in winter tyres will also be examined in a presentation by Technical Advisor Dr. Kamyar Alavi, entitled “Get a grip: performance of naphthenic oil in winter tyres.”
Proposed changes to the EU Tyre Labelling Regulation came a step closer to becoming reality on Wednesday when the European Parliament, Council and Commission reached a political agreement on the matter. The text of the Regulation now awaits formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council. Once both endorse the updated Regulation in the coming months, it will be published in the Official Journal of the Union and will enter into force 20 days after publication. The new Regulation will apply from 1 May 2021.
A window into the future of tyres, Yokohama-style, awaits visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show. The Yokohama Rubber stand will feature a “future technologies corner”, at which Yokohama will introduce its CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services) technologies.
With the introduction of the Pirelli H:01 Proway line, Prometeon Tyre Group says it is offering tyres that provide “maximum efficiency in long-distance transportation” thanks to reduced rolling resistance and improved durability. Two tyres are available in this latest evolution of the :01 Series – the steer axle Pirelli FH:01 Proway and the drive axle TH:01 Proway.
Bridgestone has launched Enliten, a new lightweight tyre technology designed to reduce rolling resistance and contribute to the reduction of a vehicle’s CO2 emissions, while providing the same wear life as a standard original equipment tyre. The company states the new material will benefit car manufacturers, drivers, and the environment.
Nokian Tyres says the rolling resistance of its tyres is now eight per cent lower on average than in 2013. It points out that this reduction is the equivalent of exhaust fumes from 65,000 cars.
What Car?’s True MPG testing has revealed that new official fuel economy tests introduced late last year are providing more accurate results than ever before – with some cars even beating the official figures in the real world.
A new Kumho tyre designed with low rolling resistance and fuel savings in mind has been released in the UK. The Kumho Ecowing ES31 is available in 38 sizes, and Kumho Tyre UK says almost 70 per cent of these sizes carry an EU tyre label rating of ‘B’ for fuel efficiency – this is, it adds, – an “impressively high margin by any standard.”
Plans to build a precipitated silica production facility in the US state of South Carolina have been officially confirmed by Evonik Industries. The new plant will be located in the Bushy Park industrial area near Charleston, close to the factories of a number of tyre makers, including Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, Trelleborg and (as of 2017) Giti Tire. Evonik Industries will invest approximately US$120 million in the plant, which will be completed in 2018.
Bridgestone recently gave a presentation to the Japanese Cabinet Office on the subject of its “ImPACT” resource saving, strength increasing tyre polymer research project conduction in association with Tokyo University. The project, which seeks to bring government, industry and academia together are to: developing high-strength materials, making each component thinner and lighter; and to improve fuel economy and save resources through weight saving and increased durability as well as reduced fuel consumption. Initial results suggest the scientists “succeeded in the development of materials that [offer]…a 60 per cent reduction in wear rate.”
The New Iveco Stralis XP heavy truck will fit the next generation of Michelin X LINE Energy tyres as original equipment. The new X LINE Energy range is the first tyre range to receive an A grade rolling resistance ratings in the drive, steer and trailer positions, according to the European Tyre Label measure. As a result, Iveco customers can opt for the market’s first heavy truck tyre range to earn an “A” rating for rolling resistance on every axle.
On 23 May, US-based Orion Engineered Carbons released three new products that it says create more fuel efficient tyres. The new tyres come in response to consumer demand and legal standards for vehicle fuel economy. As far as the US federal version of these rules are concerned, these grades offer reduction in rolling resistance via narrow particle size distributions and lower sidewall hysteresis; and lower air permeation through the inner liner for better tyre inflation consistency.
Goodyear has added its voice to the debate on the integrated efforts to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the transport industry. The tyre manufacturer points out the effect that recent truck tyre developments have had on significantly reducing CO2 emissions made by commercial vehicles. It also highlights the effectiveness of the EU tyre label in achieving CO2 reduction across the transport industry.
Prinx Chengshan
Bridgestone