Bridgestone introduced a sports tire made from eco-materials
Bridgestone has added to its range its first mass-produced tire, 55% of which is made from recycled and renewable materials certified to the ISCC Plus standard, which takes into account the requirements for transparency in obtaining alternative raw materials throughout the supply chain.
The new product has been named the Bridgestone Potenza Sport A, and, as noted by Steven De Bock, Vice President of the Original Equipment department at Bridgestone in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), it "represents a great example of the company's technological capabilities and its commitment to sustainable development", as well as an important step towards a complete transition to eco-friendly raw materials by 2050.
"We are proud to have started mass production of tires made with such a high proportion of recycled and renewable materials certified to the ISCC Plus standard. The launch of this product will contribute to the development of a circular economy in our industry," he added.
The new Bridgestone tires are made using the Enliten technology, which, according to the manufacturer, has improved the environmental characteristics of the tires and adapted them for use on electric vehicles without compromising safety. According to the European labeling system, the tire received an "A" rating for both wet grip and low rolling resistance, which increases the range of electric vehicles.
Renewable materials accounted for 35% of the raw materials used, including natural rubber and biopolymers. Recycled materials (20% of the total volume) such as reclaimed carbon black, silica from rice husk ash, lignin, zinc oxide, etc. were also used.
Bridgestone emphasizes that the new product is "not a concept and not a pilot project", and it has been approved for original equipment on the new Audi e-tron GT (in sizes 265/35 R21 at the front and 305/30 R21 at the rear), for which the tires had to undergo comprehensive testing in accordance with the strict requirements of the automaker and prove that they are suitable for such a powerful model and can provide a high level of grip and environmental friendliness.
The Bridgestone Potenza Sport A tires were developed in Europe, and production will take place at a plant near Rome, which received the ISCC Plus certificate in 2022. The enterprise has also been certified to the ISO 50001 standard due to efficient energy consumption, and only electricity from renewable sources is used at the plant.