Continental White Paper Provides the Latest Info on Commercial Vehicle Tyres and Sustainability Goals
In a new Continental white paper release, topics such as current strategies regarding emissions, climate protection and efficiency have been discussed, with an eye to what the future of tyre development will involve.
Continental White Paper Released
In the paper, they acknowledge that tyres can make a significant contribution to protecting the environment. However, as factors such as rolling resistance, fuel consumption, raw materials and the service life of tyres are crucial elements in determining a fleet’s profits, the white paper offers some interesting insights, as transport sets to increase, bringing with it a need for more tyres.
The current market for retreaded tyres
Within the tyre replacement business in Germany there are over three million truck tyres sold every year. Within Europe that number rises to around 26 million and across the world, the figure stands at 165 million. The expectation is that by 2050, freight traffic will rise by around 60%.
Core questions raised in the white paper
So Continental asks, what is a Commercial Vehicle Tyre? How is it structured? How long does it last? Is the rolling resistance always the same?
As a large number of tyre manufacturers share the tyre market there is a huge range of tyres available. However, what distinguishes a truck tyre from a bus tyre? Which tyre is most suitable for which product?
All of these questions have been analysed within the white paper.
Tyre Development in relation to CO2 and VECTO
Tyre Development always alternates between the conflicting goals of wet grip, wear and tear and rolling resistance. It is common if one property is heavily developed, such as wet grip, then another product, such as wear and tear, might suffer. With the advent of the VECTO simulation tool calculating CO2 emissions, rolling resistance has become the major focus of tyre development. This is in part because rolling resistance affects fuel economy, which normally accounts for up to 30% of fleet spending.
Resource protection and alternative raw materials:
Another element of the white paper is the potential of tyres in terms of resource and environmental protection. With retreading offering a tyre a second life, or in some cases, a third or fourth life, around 70% of the tyre can be preserved, which in terms of energy consumption, when compared to the production of a new tyre, is hugely advantageous for retreaders. With energy consumed in the manufacture of a retread being only about 50% of that of a new tyre, it represents a much more energy-saving alternative, compared to new tyres, with a reduction of 80% energy in water requirements and a 70% reduction in the usage of crude oil. One core element being developed is the use of rapeseed oil and cellulose fibers and viscose, instead of fossil oils and polyester.
Could the Russian dandelion be an alternative source to the tropical rubber tree?
The white paper provides a well-founded overview of whether there is an alternative to various raw materials, which includes an interview with a specialist and photo examples.
The white paper is available for download, in German and will soon be available in English as well.