The largest international motor show in the world hasn’t just changed its name, it has also shifted its focus from primarily cars to mobility in a much broader sense. IAA Mobility 2021 asked the question, “What will move us next”? In keeping with this fresh approach, the decentralized event was all about eco-friendly innovations, smart future mobility and outside-the-box green solutions to the challenges of our time.
In keeping with this new direction – and with our our goal of being the most progressive tire company in terms of environmental and social responsibility by 2030 - and this along the entire value chain – we presented a game-changing tire study. Watch the video to learn more:
Continental’s GreenConcept tire features current and future technologies and underlines our commitment to the clean mobility of the future. How? Take a closer look at our IAA Mobility highlight to find out:
The concept tire introduced at IAA mobility 2021 minimizes resource consumption throughout the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing through every stage of production and beyond, including new ways of extending service life. It was designed with future sensor-based smart vehicles with resource-saving drives in mind and allows them to perform even more efficiently.
The Conti GreenConcept tire is made from renewable raw materials like natural rubber from dandelions, silicate from rice husk ashes, as well as vegetable oils and resins. It also contains a high share of recycled materials, reusing everything from PET bottles to rubber from worn tires to reduce the amount of virgin raw materials needed for tire production.
The 52% share in renewable and recycled materials used is a big step towards our ultimate goal to switch all our tire production to sustainable materials by 2050 at the latest.
Thanks to an optimized tread pattern, a new type of casing structure, and a special sidewall and weight-optimized bead, the Conti GreenConcept tire is up to 40% lighter than today’s standard tires. That means it uses less material, but the reduced weight also helps extend the range of electrical vehicles by up to 6%.
A worn-down tread doesn’t have to be the end of the whole tire. The Conti GreenConcept can be retreaded more than once, further saving material and costs. In addition, the special tread pattern was designed to improve performance in wet road conditions and has greater safety reserves than a conventional tire with the same tread depth.
At the same time, reduced rolling resistance increases range and efficiency.
Since the Conti GreenConcept was designed to be used with the car of the future, it is equipped with next-generation sensors that will make the tires as smart as the vehicle equipped with them. Predictive tire monitoring will make driving safer, more comfortable, and more efficient.
Sustainable, recycled, lightweight, renewable, smart and efficient… That’s a lot of attributes for one tire – and they are only the basics. Let’s break it down visually in an infographic showing the most important innovations that make this tire so special:
Since trading his highly successful run as a race driver for a second career as a sustainability entrepreneur, Nico Rosberg has been one of the most vocal advocates for the smart, green transport of the future. At IAA Mobility 2021, he was there to witness the launch of the GreenConcept tire first-hand – and ask Nikolai Setzer, Chairman of the Executive Board of Continental AG, all about this exciting new innovation.
