Bridgestone announced the release of a new trailer tire for long-haul transportation
In the near future, the new trailer tire Bridgestone Ecopia Trailer will be released on the European market, and since the flagship line for long-haul transportation already includes the Ecopia Steer and Ecopia Drive tires for the steering and driving axles, respectively, now fleets will be able to equip trucks with three models from the latest family from the Japanese brand, which, according to the company, will increase fuel efficiency and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Previous tests have shown that Bridgestone Ecopia tires significantly surpass the previous generation of tires in terms of reducing CO2 emissions throughout their life cycle, and the Steer and Drive models have also passed certification according to the ISO 14067 standard, which sets requirements for the carbon footprint of a product.
According to Bridgestone, the Steer, Drive, and Trailer tires allow for a reduction in CO2 emissions of 3.2, 6, and 5.6%, respectively, per kilometer of travel compared to the Ecopia H-Steer 002, Ecopia H-Steer 002, Ecopia H-Drive 002 and Ecopia H-Trailer 002 models. In addition, since the tire life has been increased, CO2 emissions per kilometer throughout the entire life cycle of the tires, starting from the stages of raw material procurement and production, have decreased by 38.4, 10.8, and 20.4%, respectively.
"The Bridgestone Ecopia lineup is the future of long-haul transportation," said Wakkas Ahmad, Bridgestone EMEA's commercial sales director. "Efficient and innovative, our flagship tires are designed to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions — without compromising on performance. Now, with the release of Ecopia Trailer, our partners will be able to get the most out of the benefits of the new lineup. Both fleets and truck manufacturers we work with will have the opportunity to use Ecopia tires for all axles to achieve their decarbonization goals, meet current and future sustainability requirements, and reduce their expenses at the same time."
The Ecopia tires are made using the Enliten technology (which reduces the weight of the tires without compromising their strength), and the reduction in environmental impact is achieved through reduced rolling resistance and increased service life.
According to the results of Bridgestone's internal tests, the rolling resistance of the tires for the steering, driving, and trailer axles has been reduced by 8, 12, and 5%, respectively, which allowed them to receive the highest "A" rating for economy according to the European classification system. In addition, the mileage of the Steer, Drive, and Trailer tires has been improved by 40, 6, and 10%, respectively, and such a significant increase in the resource of the tire for the steering axle is due to the use of a breaker with a spiral cord (Spiral Belt Technology).
Bridgestone Ecopia Steer and Drive were released in 2023, and Ecopia Trailer will go on sale on the European market in February 2025.