Eco-friendly tyre made from sustainable and recycled materials

Ingredients include natural rubber made from dandelions, silicate from the ash of rice husks, and vegetable oils and resins, making it significantly lighter than conventional tyres

Spotted: German multinational automotive parts manufacturing company, Continental, has designed an eco-friendly tyre made from sustainable materials, including natural rubber made from dandelions, silicate from the ash of rice husks, and vegetable oils and resins.   

The tyre which is being exhibited at the IAA Mobility Summit in Munich is made from 50 per cent sustainable raw materials, with an additional 35 per cent based on bio-materials, making the product both more suitable and also lighter. It weighs just 7.5 kilograms, 40 per cent less than the standard tyre.   

In addition, 17 per cent of the Conti GreenConcept is made from recycled material such as processed steel, carbon black and PET bottles. 

Together, all of this results in significantly lower rolling resistance, around 25 per cent lower than that of a tyre with class A rolling resistance. Lower rolling resistance in turn makes the vehicle consume less energy and can extend the range of EVs by up to 6 per cent. Moreover, because the tyre is made from Taraxagum natural rubber, the tread compound can be replaced several times, conserving both materials and money. 

Continental aims to convert its entire tyre production to sustainable materials by 2050 and thus achieve full climate neutrality throughout all of its supply chains. 

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