The Korean tyre manufacturer Kumho has developed a tyre made from 80% sustainable materials. The tyre replaces petrochemicals with sustainably sourced and recycled materials. The company has a target to develop products made entirely of sustainable materials by 2045.
Kumho currently uses 25% sustainable materials in its products. The company plans to increase this to 40% by 2030 en route to its 100 per cent target. It adds that it is conducting intensive research into recycled materials and innovative plant-based materials.
The new concept tyre has developed synthetic rubber tyres made from recycled plastic. It has employed environmentally friendly silica from rice bran and biomass-based oils and chemicals made from sunflower oil instead of petroleum, alongside powdered end of life tyres. Kumho also mass-produces a variety of products such as natural rubber in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).
Kumho wants to develop tyres that focus on increasing sustainability and reducing environmental impact in the consumption phase too. It has developed tyres that consume less energy, have high wear resistance, produce little noise, and produce fewer tyre emissions. This is intended to reduce the environmental impact of tyres and the tyre business, and increase sales of environmentally friendly products.
Mansik Cho, head of research and development at Kumho Tire, said: “Sustainability is the key to our survival. We will strive to develop alternative materials to give us a competitive advantage in technologies to achieve CO2 neutrality and to act as a partner for sustainable mobility.”
