Concern for the environment is growing daily and rightly so.
Electric vehicles, hybrid cars and plug- in hybrids are increasing in
popularity. Did you know that you tyres too play a significant role in
preserving the environment?
How exactly do tyres contribute to green driving?
Tyres and the Environment
In general, tyres do not have a very good name when it comes
to environmental friendliness; the fact that they are composed of rubber and
several chemical additives works against them. The process of tyre
manufacturing includes several chemical processes that involve heating natural
and/or synthetic rubber and fusing it on to a steel framework. Certainly not
environment friendly!
Yet tyres today do play a big role in green driving.
Introducing: Green tyres
Eco friendly tyres, popularly known as green tyres, are
equipped with certain technologies that reduce the environmental impact of
driving. Driving pollutes the atmosphere with carbon dioxide emissions. Modern
tyre design and technology is helping counter that.
The fuel efficiency of your car depends significantly on
your tyres. While moving on the roads, tyres encounter a frictional force, also
called rolling resistance, which resists the movement of the tyre. The tyres
need greater energy to overcome this resistance, which comes from fuel, thereby
pushing up fuel consumption and thus increasing the carbon dioxide emissions.
The first step in creating eco-friendly tyres is therefore
to create tyres with significantly reduced rolling resistance. With low rolling
resistance, fuel efficiency increases, reducing fuel consumption and carbon
dioxide emissions.
Green tyre technologies in practice
Tyre manufacturers are exploring innovative alternatives to
produce tyres that reduce their environmental footprint, without compromise on
performance and safety. Reducing rolling resistance of tyres has an impact on
the wet braking ability. Manufacturers, therefore have to ensure that there is
an ideal balance between the two.
In its Cinturato range, Pirelli tyres has incorporated
several eco- compatible materials, thus reducing the environmental impact at
the production stage and over the life of the tyre. The Green Performance
technology of these tyres reduces rolling resistance by 20% bringing down fuel
consumption by 4% with corresponding reduction in emission levels.
Bridgestone has its Ecopia range of tyres, Continental its
ContiEcoContact range and Michelin’s green X range are some examples of tyres with
low rolling resistance and corresponding high fuel efficiency and green nature.
What can you do?
Driving on under-inflated tyres greatly increases the rolling
resistance and thereby harmful emissions, besides being unsafe. As a
responsible vehicle owner, check your tyre pressure at least once a month. Best
practice driving techniques and tyre care will also ensure that you tyres last
longer, removing the need for more frequent tyre purchases. This decreased
demand for new tyres will directly reduce the burden of tyres on the environment.
Written by Unknown
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