Tyred and emotional

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NEWS/Commercial PR - Michelin Energy Saver Tyres

This is passed on as per PR supplied, so I cannot vouch for the claims, but as a major brand one has to assume they are sincere and sound (mind you, the ASA site is a weekly jaw-dropper).

I just find things like this so much more significant in the great scheme of things, not just for major e-benefits, but also possible (there is a pay-back period to consider, which has been suggested) pocket-related ones, too.

But what's the betting they don't make a low-profile set for my Volvo!

New Michelin Energy Saver tyres

The new Michelin Energy Saver is the Company’s fourth generation of “green” car tyres that replaces the existing Energy range.

The technology deployed in the Michelin Energy Saver range improves rolling resistance by nearly 20%* thereby reducing the amount of energy needed to propel the vehicle. By generating fuel savings of nearly 0.2 litres per 100 km* it reduces CO2 emissions by 4g per km and the cost of a full tank of fuel by almost €2. As a result, if you fit four Energy Saver tyres to your car the fuel savings will be enough to pay for one of the tyres after just 45,000km**.

In wet-road tests conducted by TÜV SÜD Automotive, a car equipped with the Michelin Energy Saver has a braking distance three metres shorter than the same vehicle fitted with the previous-generation tyres. The same study showed that, in identical wet-road conditions, the Michelin Energy Saver also has a shorter braking distance than the average of the major competitor tyre brands***.

In addition to enhanced fuel efficiency and exceptional safety performance the Energy Saver also offers very long tread life. According to a study by TÜV SÜD, the Michelin Energy Saver delivers on average 40% more mileage than other leading brand-name tyres in the three most widely used sizes*. Where a competitor’s tyre may reach its limit, for example, at 30,000 km, the Michelin Energy Saver – in identical conditions of use – could cover more than 40,000 km. Based on average annual driving distances in Europe, this means nearly an additional year of driving.

By combining lower fuel consumption, shorter braking distances and greater longevity the Michelin Energy Saver provides users with a host of benefits. The tyres really do enable motorists to drive further, safely, while spending less.

The Michelin Energy Saver has been designed to equip as many cars in the market as possible – including small city cars, saloons, coupes and MPVs. The tyre will initially be available in 29 sizes and that will increase to 42 by mid-2008. By the end of the year, the range will cover 90% of existing sizes with a T-speed rating, 82% with an H-rating, and 80% with a V-rating.

*ISO test conducted by TÜV SÜD Automotive in 2007 on store-bought 175/65 R14, 195/65 R15 and 205/55 R16 tyres produced by five major-brand manufacturers.

**Based on a diesel-powered vehicle that consumes around 6 litres per 100 km with fuel priced at an average of €1.20 a litre.

Ethanol from household waste and old tyres?

Seems like a good day for interesting developments so far. This one from motortorque.com reports how general motors and Coskata have signed an agreement to utilise Coskata's technology to "derive cellulosic ethanol from household waste, wood, plastic bottles and old tyres using bacteria."

They "believe the process is cleaner than using crops - with one study claiming that study cellulosic ethanol up to 90% less greenhouse gas than petrol and 30% cheaper to produce." "The company says it can turn four tyres into seven gallons of ethanol and two bales of hay into five gallons for under $1 per gallon."

Sounds a lot better than turning corn into ethanol to me. There are an awful lot of used tyres lying around our planet and anything that can turn household waste into a potentially useful fuel has surely got to be better than dumping it into landfill?

Slate, thatch, or crossply?

This is the kind of thing I think WRAP (or, more accurately, its support systems) does well: Recycling Tyres Into Roof Tiles

So long as the numbers add up (inc. enviROI), this looks a winner.

I wish all involved well.

Maybe they have offset it?

Toxic tyre fires burn in Ulster as loyalists celebrate the Battle of the Boyne

Or will claim it's to save on landfill?