Special Equipment: Tread Greenly
April 1, 2008
First developed by michelin in 1946, radial-ply assembly revolutionized tire design by using multiple plies of cord to reinforce rubber compounds. The technology quickly became a standard element in automotive tires. Several decades later, Michelin made another significant advance with silica. When added to rubber, silica decreases unwanted rolling resistance, while maintaining high levels of stability in wet conditions. The addition not only enhances performance, it also comes with the eco-friendly benefit of increased fuel economy—when your engine works less, it uses less gas. "We have been doing this long before being green was in vogue," says Doug Girvin, director of product development for Michelin. And to tout the environmental contributions from tires like the MXV4 Plus, Michelin announced its "green meters" program, which reports fuel savings and reduced CO2 emissions on various digital displays in Berlin, New York City, Paris and Shanghai.
Yokohama, meanwhile, is raising awareness with the launch of a website called Eco Treadsetters, an environmental social network offering daily news and forums, how-to guides for protecting the planet and interviews with influential members of the green community. The Japanese tire maker also offers a compound called Super Nanopower Rubber (SNR), which trades petroleum blends for one made of citrus oil products. The Decibel Super E-Spec, the first tire to be made with SNR, reduces rolling resistance by 18 percent when compared to standard models, and is currently available only in Japan.
Michelin, www.michelin.com
Yokohama Tire Corporation, www.yokohamatire.com
Eco Treadsetters, www.ecotreadsetters.com
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