Tyres that are green

14 July 2021

Vehicle tyres aren’t green. It’s not that they’re invariably black: it’s because they’re apparently not the most environmentally friendly of things.

Tyres are largely made of materials derived from fossil fuels and experts have calculated that, as the compounds wear, they can actually emit more air pollution than vehicle tailpipes. It is said that their particulate matter (PM) pollution also makes up 28% of all primary ocean microplastics. 

This is an even bigger problem for electric vehicles as the increased weight from the battery, coupled with greater torque capability, causes faster tyre wear.

Delivery company DPD UK and Enso, a specialist tyre developer, are trialling a new tyre designed to reduce the problem. This will be interesting for users like hirers who operate large vehicle fleets and are looking to go down the green route.

The move is part of a Transport for London initiative. During the trial, the innovative tyres will be compared against standard versions on a fleet of DPD’s Nissan e-NV200 vans, at its all-electric delivery depots in Westminster and Hyde Park over a nine-month period.

Enso says it EV tyres recently helped to set a world record in achieving the longest distance driven by a Renault Zoe on a single charge. The vehicle travelled 475 miles at Thruxton Race Circuit.