Goodyear shows tire made of 90% sustainable materials
Goodyear has demonstrated a tire consisting almost entirely of what it claims are “sustainable materials,” with a mission to further increase that percentage to 100% by the end of the decade.
The new tire also has lower rolling resistance compared to a “reference tire.” Lower rolling resistance means less friction with the road, which makes a car more energy-efficient.
At last year’s CES show, Goodyear showed off a 70% sustainable tire, which included 13 “featured ingredients” across nine tire components. It wants to work with suppliers to bring that tire to market and start selling it to drivers in 2023. If you want to know when you can buy this 70% sustainable tire, you can sign up for updates on Goodyear’s website.
At this year’s CES, they’ve upped their game and are now demonstrating a 90% sustainable tire, with 17 ingredients across 12 components. The new tire has passed Goodyear’s internal testing and all applicable regulatory testing.
The ingredients include recycled materials and relatively novel uses of natural compounds.
Goodyear’s new tire uses plant-based oil and end-of-life tires for carbon, soybean oil to keep the rubber pliable in changing temperatures, silica from rice husk waste to improve grip and reduce fuel consumption, recycled polyester and steel cords for reinforced structure, and renewable pine tree resin for traction.
Goodyear defines a sustainable material as “a bio-based/renewable, recycled material or one that may be produced using or contributing to other sustainable practices for resource conservation and/or emissions reductions including mass-balance materials.”
The company is already using some sustainable materials in some of their tires, with soybean oil appearing in eight of their product lines.
But Goodyear isn’t stopping there: It wants to have the first fully sustainable tire by 2030:
We continue to make progress toward our goal of introducing the first 100% sustainable-material tire in the industry by 2030. The past year was a pivotal one toward achieving this goal. We researched new technologies, identified opportunities for further collaboration and utilized our team’s tenacity to not only demonstrate our capabilities to produce a 90% sustainable-material tire, but to also produce a tire with up to 70% sustainable-material content this year. Our team continues to showcase its innovation and commitment to building a better future.
Chris Helsel, senior vP of Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear
Electrek’s Take
Tires are perhaps an underappreciated area of innovation in the automotive space, and one which could have big benefits in terms of efficiency, air quality, and waste. Rolling resistance is the second most significant source of energy loss in a vehicle behind air drag, so tires can offer a lot of efficiency gains.
But as for materials, one of the (often disingenuous) arguments that many people bring up against electric cars is that “they still have tires and tires are made from oil, so you’re still using oil! HA!”
This is of course ridiculous, as the percentage of oil used for tires is dwarfed by the percentage that is burned in engines. But, as with most disingenuous propaganda, it did come from some tiny kernel of truth.
It is true that tires create a significant amount of waste, and that reducing the amount of waste they are responsible for is a good thing. So a push toward using more sustainable materials and recycling tire waste is an important step toward cleaning up the system, alongside the electrification of transportation and a move to more sustainable transport methods (public transport, bicycles, walkable cities, etc.).
What we’d like to see next is for Goodyear, and other tire companies, to see if there’s anything that can be done about particulate pollution. In the course of normal wear and tear (or when people do sick burnouts), tiny bits of tire get left on the road and kicked up into the air, and those tiny tire bits are a significant contributor to particulate air pollution, which creates smog and harms health.
Car exhaust pollution has reduced significantly in recent years through regulation and as we begin the overall societal shift toward EVs, but so far, we haven’t seen much regulation around tire pollution (or brake dust pollution – another significant source, which EVs reduce by relying more on regenerative braking than friction brakes).
But as exhaust emissions reduce, regulators’ eyes may turn towards these other sources of particulate emissions, and if tire companies don’t want that smoke (pun intended), maybe they can get working on that problem ahead of time, too.
We do think that the definition of “sustainable material” here is perhaps a little broad, as while many of these materials are plant-based, some of them are still petroleum-related – like waste tires, recycled bottles, and methane. But efforts to “close the loop” (“increase circularity” in Goodyear’s parlance) will at least mean society won’t need to use new petroleum products and can continue recycling as much of what we have as possible, while continuing to push the limit on sustainable materials.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Tesla and Rivian have been embroiled in a lawsuit in which the former accused the latter of having stolen battery technology by poaching Tesla employees.
It sounds like the two automakers are finally about to settle the lawsuit, which has been going on for 4 years.
In 2020, Tesla filed a lawsuit against Rivian over allegedly stealing trade secrets by hiring former Tesla employees and encouraging them to bring documents. Rivian has denied the allegations.
When Tesla filed the lawsuit, it wasn’t clear what trade secrets Tesla was claiming Rivian had stolen. However, we noted that the employees listed in the lawsuits were two recruiters, an EHS manager, and a manager of Tesla’s charging networks.
The automaker claimed that these employees brought “documents consisting of highly sensitive trade secret, confidential, and proprietary engineering information” when they went to work for Rivian.
A year later, Tesla expanded the lawsuit, claiming more specifically that Rivian was “stealing the core technology for its next-generation batteries.”
At first, the companies tried to settle out of court, but it didn’t work out, so the lawsuit was moved to court last year.
Over a year later, we now learn that Tesla had notified the court that it expects to file to get the lawsuit dismissed after reaching a conditional agreement with Rivian. The company didn’t disclose the details of the settlement (via Bloomberg):
Tesla didn’t disclose specifics about the agreement in a court filing, but told a California state judge that it expects to seek dismissal of the case by Dec. 24 upon satisfactory completion of the terms.
Neither Tesla nor Rivian have commented on the reported settlement.
While Tesla has claimed that it somewhat open-sourced its patents, we have previously noted that it’s not exactly the case. Tesla claims to let other companies use its patented technology as long as they themselves don’t sue them over patent rights.
And in this specific case, Tesla alleges that Rivian has specifically hired employees to steal technologies. Again, Rivian has denied the allegation.
Electrek’s Take
The terms are unknown, but in similar cases, it often involves things like some level of access to make sure that no proprietary technology is being used or has been used.
The lawsuit is not exactly clear, but based on the timeline and the allegations of “next-gen batteries”, Tesla could have been talking about its 4680 battery cells, although those are cells. It could also be the structural battery pack.
Rivian is expected to use a taller 4695 battery from LG Energy Solutions for its next-generation vehicles.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
French infrastructure specialists Proviridis have partnered with EVSE manufacturer Kempower to deliver a novel, underground charging solution for electric semi trucks designed to easily integrate into existing truck depots.
By installing its high-powered charging cabinets underground and integrating the charging cables into a solid metal pipe, Kempower and Proviridis have been able to make room for high-powered charging points in an existing truck depot that didn’t have enough space to install either conventional EVSE or overhead “drop lines.”
For the pilot, the metal pipe is painted in a striking yellow color to make it easier to see while maneuvering the lot, and keeping the dispensers themselves more protected than conventional concrete bollards. The 600 kW power cabinet is positioned a few yards away – a typical space-saving Kempower solution – and connected to the charge points by underground cable.
Proviridis believes their solution provides enough of a competitive advantage that fleet buyers looking to electrify will be eager to give it a try.
“The product is durable across a wide spectrum of temperatures and conditions, requires minimal ventilation, and can cater for a wide range of customer needs,” explains Olivier Verdu, Technical Director at Proviridis. “These are features which perfectly place the Kempower solution for this type of charging configuration in a logistics environment.”
Electrek’s Take
While traditional charging equipment can cause up to 20% of an existing truck depot’s parking capacity to be lost, the Kempower products have already gained recognition for the efficient size footprint of its overground Satellites. If this underground version proves to be even better, you can expect to see a lot more Kempower installations near you.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Kempower.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
In honor of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, eBike specialist Buzz Bicycles is offering an exclusive discount for Electrek readers on its Centris Class 2 Folding Bike.
Table of contents
Buzz Bicycles is back with an exclusive new deal
Buzz Bicycles has been a mainstay on Electrek for a few years now, as we have covered several of its electric bikes, which suit riders of all skill levels and help them “Buzz through life.” Buzz is an omnichannel eBike brand that prioritizes direct-to-consumerism and has found success in its mission to deliver ultimate transportation solutions at an excellent value for its growing base of eBike enthusiasts.
The company strives to deliver riders a “Wow moment,” which is usually brought on as they feel the pedal assist function kick in. This feature delivers all you need to conquer hills and longer rides while enjoying new adventures with friends.
The Buzz team has utilized decades of industry experience into its portfolio of eBikes, all conceived and designed in Dayton, Ohio. The company, which operates under the United Wheels umbrella alongside brands like Huffy Bicycles, Niner Bikes, and Batch Bicycles, has adopted an ethos that the freedom of riding should be fun and accessible for everyone, no matter what adventure lies ahead.
By leveraging the global presence of its parent company, Buzz Bicycles can make good on its promise to deliver affordable eBikes that are comfortable, powerful, and safe, much like the Centris Folding eBike, which is as versatile and compact as it is fun. The exclusive deal Buzz Bicycles is offering on the Centris makes it even more fun. You can take advantage of it below.
But first, you’ll want to learn about the capabilities of this foldable eBike to truly understand its value, as well as what accessories are available to level up your purchase.
The Buzz Centris is an easy to ride foldable eBike for all
The Buzz Centris is a Class 2 Folding eBike built for comfort and convenience no matter where you take it. At full size, the Centris’ step-through frame offers a low step-over height of just 16 inches, perfect for riders of all sizes, enabling easy transitions from ground to saddle for its riders.
When you’re not riding, the Centris from Buzz Bicycles folds neatly to 34 inches in length and 22 inches in height, making it easy to store at home or to carry in a vehicle on the way to your next ride. Furthermore, the assembled bike only weighs 68 pounds, making it easy to transport.
You can easily navigate tougher terrain on the Centris thanks to the eBike’s 20″ x 4″ knobby tires and front suspension. The bike is powered by a 48V, 500-watt-hour (Wh) battery pack that can propel it to a top speed of 20 mph for an all-electric range of up to 40 miles on a single charge.
Additionally, this folding model from Buzz Bicycles comes equipped with both a front and rear rack, offering versatile cargo-carrying options so you can customize your ride with a variety of Buzz accessories.
Like all Buzz eBikes, the Centris is tested and deemed compliant with the UL2849 standard. This standard covers the entire electric bicycle system, including the motor, battery, controller, and charger, offering the highest safety standards for added peace of mind.
The Centris Class 2 folding bike from Buzz is available in two colors: Gloss White or Matte Black. This $1,199 eBike is currently reduced to $899 – and you can score an additional $200 off with this exclusive promo, but only for a limited time.
With the purchase of any Buzz eBike, including the Centris, you are guaranteed the following:
- 10-year limited warranty (lightweight aluminum frame protected for full 10 years)
- 2-year limited warranty (electrical components covered by 2-year warranty for peace of mind)
- 6-month limited warranty (additional bike components protected by a 6-month warranty)
Are you interested in the Centris from Buzz Bicycles? You’ve come to the right place. Starting today, while supplies last, you can take advantage of an additional $200 off the sale price by using promo code “ELECTREK200.“ That’s a $500 discount in total!
Don’t wait, because this deal only runs through 11:59 PM on December 8, 2024.
We highly recommend perusing Buzz’s entire lineup of products. They are designed for commuters and casual riders, with technology and features that help you quickly feel comfortable riding. If you are new to the world of E-transportation, Buzz Bicycles is the brand for you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports8 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway