Cars may soon be equipped with the world’s first “green” tires made from plant byproducts rather than petroleum or rubber trees—the traditional raw materials used to make tires. This new type of tire would be produced by microbes that convert sugar into an environmentally friendly rubber. Environmentally friendly tyres are the fastest way to achieve a ‘green return' - the point at which the upfront financial and environmental costs of green vehicle technologies are recouped, and savings begin.Green tyres are made of indigenously available renewable resources such as natural rubber, natural fibres, vegetable oil etc.Tyre manufacturers are responding to the new law by developing ‘green tyres' that will use advanced materials to achieve the top grades across all three label categories. Eco-friendly tyres or 'green tyres' are engineered to lower the rolling resistance and thereby reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions without compromising on the safety of tyres.

Uses and Applications

Green tires offer numerous benefits. Their extra resiliency in the tread improves driving safety by providing better grip on slippery roads. As more green tires come on the road, the amount of fuel and pollution savings could be staggering. Further benefits of “Green Tires” include enhanced mileage and longer service life. Green tyres are tyres optimized for low rolling resistance and/or which uses materials, especially elastomers, which are from renewable (sustainable) resources. As a direct consequence of the reduction in fuel consumption, the emission of harmful carbon based pollutants also decreases.

Market Analysis

The concept of `green' tyre has assumed importance in the context of growing awareness about the need to protect the environment. While foreign tyre manufacturers have put a defined emphasis on producing eco-friendly tyres, Indian tyre manufacturers have only begun to follow suit in recent years. Notable among Indian tyre manufacturers are JK Tyres and MRF, who have created a new range of eco-friendly tyres. There seems to be a shift in buyers’ attitudes as they no longer concentrate on the cost effectiveness of the tyres. While safety is a priority, focus has shifted from prices to other factors such as durability, and eco-friendliness of the tyres. With most of the major foreign tyre manufacturers realize the shift in consumer demand when launching their products in the Indian market, Indian companies have only just begun launching eco-friendly tyres in the Indian tyre market and are starting to compete with the big foreign players.