Nokian Tyres says it has introduced its “most” sustainable tyre, the Nokian Tyres Green Step concept tyre consisting of 93% of the materials either recycled or renewable. It moves the company even closer to its goal: by the year 2030, 50% of all raw materials used in Nokian Tyres’ tyres will be recycled or renewable.
All rubber used in the Green Step concept tyre is natural, and renewable oils such as canola oil, is used. Almost all plasticiser, resin and processing aids are from renewable resources. In addition, natural rice husk ash silica works as a main filler for the tread and sidewall, and renewable cord fibre is used to make the tyre tougher.
“Drivers are more and more interested in the sustainability of their tyres, and this creates demand for us to create tires for these standards. It also puts pressure on the industry to develop more eco-friendly materials, as well as for tyre manufacturing technology to adapt to these materials. With a concept tire like the Green Step, we can push the limits. It’s a win-win for all, but especially for the environment,” says Development Manager Jouko Ilomäki from Nokian Tyres.
He adds, “We learned new things with every innovation made for the concept tyre. For example, one of the most demanding tasks was to replace the synthetic rubber completely with natural rubber, which we achieved in the end.”
Almost every component of the Green Step also includes some recycled materials. For example, the carbon black used in the rubber compounds was derived from end-of-life tyres, and the butyl used in the inner surface as well as the steel in the steel belts and bead wires in the structure are mainly recycled.
“We believe that using recycled rubber and especially recycled carbon black will be a future trend in tire manufacturing: by the year 2030, we will have multiple new suppliers and more advanced technology. Also, the demand for raw materials with either recycled or renewed components will increase. We are very happy to be able to corporate so many recycled elements in the Green Step already,” Ilomäki says.
The Nokian Tyres Green Step is a winter tyre and it is drivable on snow and ice. Some of the materials used in the concept tire are familiar from various Nokian Tyres’ previous tire models. Natural rubber is an important material in all tyres because of its beneficial features. Alternative sources for natural rubber, such as the guyule plant, are also researched. Renewable oils are common in Nokian Tyres’ tyres, as Nokian Tyres stopped using high-aromatic oils as the first tyre manufacturer in the world in 2005.
“Even though the process of designing the Nokian Tyres Green Step started about a year ago, it is actually a result of decades of innovation and accumulated expertise on sustainable tire design,” says Teemu Soini, Senior Manager, Materials Development from Nokian Tyres. “Many of the sustainable innovations found in the Green Step are already used in our tyres, and regular drivers have been able to benefit from them for years. We made new innovations during the process of designing the Green Step and they will be incorporated in the future tyres offered to consumers all around the globe. We wanted to explore the limits of our sustainable innovation capabilities and the result was the Green Step. It is a testament to our ambition and knowhow.”
To sum up the tyre contains the following:
· 93% of materials recycled or renewable
· Renewable materials include natural rubber, renewable oils and natural rice husk ash silica
· Recycled materials used in almost every component of the tyre
· Recycled materials include recycled steel and carbon black
· Innovations created for the concept tyre will be incorporated in future tyres