Innovative tires increase electric vehicle range and durability
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The electric vehicle revolution goes beyond eliminating exhaust emissions, it now focuses on tires, which are major pollutants. Companies like Enso and The Tyre Collective are leading the change with sustainable solutions that improve tire efficiency and durability. Find out how these innovations are transforming mobility towards a cleaner, greener future.
The advent of electric vehicles promises to reduce pollution worldwide, including in Spain significantly. However, it is not only tailpipe emissions that are a cause for concern. Car tires also represent a major environmental problem. According to a study by Imperial College London, tires emit 6 million tons of pollution per year, and their wear and tear contributes to 28% of the microplastics that pollute the oceans.
Innovative initiatives are already underway to address this problem. Some are developing devices that are installed behind the wheels to capture this pollution. On the other hand, companies such as the British company Enso are designing specific tires for electric vehicles. These tires are less harmful to the environment and human health, offer less rolling resistance, and are more durable and economical.
Enso has achieved remarkable success in 2023 following a six-month trial with Royal Mail and DPD electric vans. This has prompted the company to expand, announcing the construction of a factory in the southeastern US with a $500 million investment and plans to produce 5 million tires by 2027.
Still, firms such as Emissions Analytics highlight that tire emissions are not fully regulated. The EU is expected to introduce new regulations in mid-2025. These regulations are based on studies showing that tire particles pollute air, water, and soil with toxic organic compounds, including carcinogens.
Today's tires, made primarily from petroleum-derived synthetic rubber and various chemicals, emit harmful particulates while driving. Emissions Analytics has recorded that tires can emit up to 5,760 mg/km of particulate matter under aggressive driving conditions, a figure alarmingly higher than tailpipe emissions.
To mitigate this situation, Enso is developing more efficient and sustainable tires for electric vehicles. These tires use bio-based raw materials and advanced techniques to be more durable and reduce rolling resistance, thus extending the range of electric cars.
Another notable initiative is The Tyre Collective, which has created a device that uses electrostatic plates to capture particles released from tires. This device, installed behind the tires, has been shown in the laboratory to be capable of capturing up to 60% of emissions. Although in real tests the capture has been 20%, it is still a significant advance.
Moreover, the waste captured by this device can be reused to manufacture new tires or even other products such as acoustic panels or shoe soles, thus closing the pollution cycle.
These innovations show a promising path towards a significant reduction in pollution caused by tires, complementing the decarbonization efforts of electric vehicles.
References
Forbes features Enso’s call for better EV tires | Enso | Retrieved June 24th 2024, from: https://www.ensotyres.com/news?aid=453
Los ingeniosos neumáticos que disparan la autonomía de los coches eléctricos y tardan más tiempo en cambiarse | Omicrono - El Español | Retrieved July 10th, 2024, from: https://www.elespanol.com/omicrono/tecnologia/20240710/ingeniosos-neumaticos-disparan-autonomia-coches-electricos-tardan-tiempo-cambiarse/865413928_0.html
Prioritise tackling toxic emissions from tyres, urge Imperial experts | Imperial College of London | Retrieved February 23th 2024, from: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/243333/prioritise-tackling-toxic-emissions-from-tyres/
We reduce the impacts of tyre pollution | The Tyre Collective | from: https://thetyrecollective.com/impact
La contaminación de los neumáticos es tan grave como la de los motores. Esta empresa dice haber encontrado la solución | Xataka | Retrieved February 13th 2024, from: https://www.xataka.com/movilidad/neumaticos-nuestros-coches-problema-contaminan-como-motores-solucion-dice-tenerla-esta-empresa
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