Bridgestone's new tyres improve electric car range, reduce petrol and diesel emissions
Multiple benefits, zero compromises
BRIDGESTONE has launched a new tyre that it claims allows electric cars to go further per charge, and improves the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of traditional petrol and diesel cars.
Enliten tyres, which will be sold as an option across the Bridgestone range, have 20% less rolling resistance than standard premium summer touring tyres, the company said.
This improvement was described as “huge” by Emilio Tiberio, vice president of research and development at Bridgestone EMEA TCE, as finding a 5% or 10% improvement would be regarded as impressive.
Enliten tyres are also 10% lighter than their standard alternatives, and thinner with shallower tread, thanks to an advanced new proprietary chemical composition and construction method developed in-house.
Asked if this means the UK minimum legal tread depth of 1.6mm would be reached sooner, Tiberio told driving.co.uk that Enliten tyres feature reduced wear rates, and therefore last just as long.
The company even claimed that tyres with embedded Enliten technology improve the vehicle’s handling and stability, and are just as safe as traditional tyres.
This apparent holy grail of tyre technology attracts a cost premium, of course, although Bridgestone is yet to announce UK pricing for Enliten versions of its tyres. The firm says it will soon announce partnerships that will see Enliten technology applied to vehicles in the European market.
