Hyundai and Kia are increasing the eco-friendliness of tire cord
Hyundai and Kia have announced the successful development of a new technology for producing steel cord for tires, which allows for a significant reduction in harmful emissions while maintaining high performance characteristics of the finished product. The project, launched in 2023, was carried out in cooperation with Hyundai Steel, HS Hyosung Advanced Materials, and Hankook Tire.
The new technology is distinguished by the fact that the steel cord consists of more than 80% recycled materials, including scrap metal. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions during production by 22%, which is equivalent to more than 3 kg of CO2-eq. per vehicle and is comparable to the amount of CO2 absorbed by one oak tree per year. Additionally, the use of electric furnaces and a new heat treatment technology, developed taking into account that the cord is partially made from secondary raw materials, is expected to increase its strength and stiffness, improving vehicle handling.
It is expected that tires with the new steel cord will be installed on new Hyundai Motor Group vehicles over time.
"The technology for producing steel cord with reduced CO2 emissions is not just an innovation of one company, but the result of cooperation between leading Korean firms involved in the value chain from raw material procurement to the release of finished vehicles, with common goals in the field of sustainable development," said Hong Sung Hyeon, Managing Director of the New Materials Research and Development Center at Hyundai and Kia. "In the future, we will continue to improve this technology to make its implementation an important step towards achieving carbon neutrality."
It is also reported that in accordance with various international agreements and regulatory acts, automakers are making significant efforts to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the entire life cycle of their products, from raw material procurement to production, transportation, operation, and disposal, and Hyundai and Kia are also accelerating the development of technologies to reduce harmful emissions throughout the value chain, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.