Almost every vehicle component imaginable can play a critical role in the constant battle to reduce CO2 emissions from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and improve the range of EVs (electric vehicles). Tires are one such component and can greatly impact a vehicle’s energy efficiency. As a result, tire producers are developing new, efficient, and sustainable tires as quickly as automakers can introduce new vehicles.

At IAA Mobility in Munich earlier this month, Continental Tires unveiled its newest tire concept, the Conti CityPlus, designed to improve energy efficiency for ICE vehicles and EVs. The German company claims that it reduces tire energy consumption by up to 10% and improves EV range by up to 3%. This corresponds to savings of 0.6 kW·h per 100 km for EVs.

It also presented what it says is the most sustainable series tire ever seen in the industry called the UltraContact NXT. With up to 65% renewable, recycled, and ISCC PLUS mass balance certified materials, the company claims that it has the highest share of sustainable materials ever in a production tire.

“We have set ourselves ambitious sustainability goals,” said Klaus Kreipe, who heads Continental Tires’ original equipment business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). “At IAA we presented the latest technological advances exemplifying our immense material competence. The Conti CityPlus technology reduces the total energy consumption of a tire. We see great potential, especially for electric vehicles, where every kilometer of range counts. The UltraContact NXT is the most sustainable series tire to date. It combines a high proportion of sustainable materials with maximum safety and performance.”

In its development and testing of the Conti CityPlus, Continental focused on urban driving situations, which the company defines as constant stop-and-go driving. The applied torque from such driving conditions can result in torsional deformation of a vehicle’s tires, causing energy to dissipate in the process. The company says that the concept is designed to improve total energy, particularly in EVs because their higher torque and weight additionally amplify energy loss in tires.

“We believe that it is important to look at the energy efficiency of tires as a whole,” said Kreipe. “This includes free rolling as well as braking and acceleration. The result is up to 10% greater energy efficiency with the same rolling resistance levels.”

Based on the company’s EcoContact 6 series tire, the new tire achieves higher overall energy efficiency with a range of modifications designed to reduce tire deformation during braking and acceleration. These include a specially designed tread pattern, a newly constructed carcass, and a modified rubber compound. The tread strip features a special V-shape pattern, which creates a stiffer pattern structure. A new construction method results in a stiffer carcass which reduces tire deformation. A special system of fillers and an optimized polymer network in the rubber compound also contribute to the tire’s high overall energy efficiency.

Continental said in a recent press release that previous and current development of energy-efficient tires has involved a focus by tire engineers and material experts on optimizing a tire’s rolling resistance during free-rolling at a constant speed. While this approach has enabled the company to minimize the rolling resistance of the passenger car tires in its portfolio in total by an average of 25% over the past decade, its new focus on constant stop-and-go driving conditions is a step forward in its continuous efforts to improve tire efficiency and sustainability.

For the UltraContact NXT, production started in July at Continental’s tire plant in Lousado, Portugal. The proportion of renewable materials is as high as 32% and includes resins based on residual materials from the paper and wood industries as well as silicate from the ash of rice husks. Recycled materials, such as polyester fibers made from recycled PET bottles using ContiRe.Tex technology, account for up to 5%. Up to 28% is ISCC PLUS mass-balance-certified materials from biobased, bio-circular, and/or circular feedstock.

All UltraContact NXTs have top “A” marks on their EU tire labels in the areas of rolling resistance, wet braking, and external noise. They are designed for both electric and ICE vehicles, offering the highest label efficiency and optimum mileage performance. Bearing the EV Compatible logo, they will be available for popular vehicles like the Kia Niro, VW ID.3, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Tesla Model 3, and Audi Q4 E-Tron, as well as the Skoda Octavia, VW Golf 8, and Audi A3.

According to several publicly available sources, the company currently ranks third-largest among all global tire companies, behind Michelin and Bridgestone and ahead of Goodyear. Last year, Continental Tires achieved sales of almost $15 billion. The company hopes to move up that list by advancing innovative technologies and sustainable products and services throughout its entire value chain, from sourcing sustainable materials to recycling end-of-life tires.

By 2030, Continental aims to have over 40% renewable and recycled content in its tires, driving toward 100% sustainable materials in all its tire products by 2050 at the latest. The UltraContact NXT is an important step on the road toward fulfilling these ambitious sustainability goals and becoming the most progressive tire manufacturer, as laid out in its Vision 2030 strategy program.