First unveiled at IAA MOBILITY 2021, the Conti GreenConcept combines current and future passenger-car tire technologies with a high share of renewable and recycled materials. The concept tire, more than 50 percent of which is made of renewable or recycled materials, aims to minimize the consumption of resources right across the tire value chain. The concept begins with the sourcing and procurement of materials and takes a holistic view of the value chain, from raw material extraction through to recycling and recovery.
The Conti GreenConcept comprises 35 percent renewable feedstock. Among the organic materials used are natural rubber from dandelions, silica from the ash of rice husks as well as plant oils and resins, which help to significantly reduce the volume of crude-oil-based materials.
The Conti GreenConcept also comprises 17 percent recycled materials. In addition to reconditioned steel and carbon black, Continental has used polyester from recycled plastic bottles in a tire carcass for the first time ever.
Continental is setting new standards with its innovative lightweight construction technology. The tire weighs just 7.5 kilograms, making it up to 40 percent lighter than a standard tire today. Continental achieved this weight reduction by optimizing the tread design and introducing a special sidewall and novel carcass structure featuring a weight-optimized core.
The specially designed tread on the Conti GreenConcept offers much greater safety margins than a conventional tire with the same tread depth. The use of materials in the tread, too, was optimized, reducing not only the weight of the tire but also its rolling resistance. In-house measurements show that this is now around 25 percent less than that of a tire of rolling resistance class A for the EU tire label – the top class in this range.
In addition, a latest-generation Continental sensor installed inside the tire continuously monitors the tire temperature, pressure and tread depth. This anticipatory tire monitoring system gives drivers even more options to suit their driving style.
