New synthetic rubber will mean greener car tyres

Tyre manufacturer Goodyear hopes to dramatically reduce the 26 litres of oil it takes to make the average car tyre by introducing a new plant-derived substance called BioIsoprene, which can be made from renewable sources such as sugar cane.

BioIsoprene will be used to supplement isoprene, a by-product in the production of crude oil, that is a key ingredient in synthetic rubber.

Production of the greener tyres is hoped to start within five years.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Approximately one billion car tyres are produced each year so savings in the amount of oil needed are welcome and overdue.”

Tyre choice and green driving

The correct choice of tyre can save motorists £300 in fuel costs and over half a ton of CO₂ in emissions every year.

At first sight there may appear to be little difference between models of tyre, but their design strongly influences the environmental performance of vehicles: the majority of road traffic noise comes from tyre/road contact, and tyres determine up to 30 per cent of a vehicle’s fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

The ETA is in favour of tyre labelling for rolling resistance and noise, a move that would make it easier for drivers to choose fuel efficient designs.

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