Goodyear is greening its newest ElectricDrive GT tire that’s obtainable as aftermarket alternative rubber for the Tesla Mannequin 3—with carbon black that doesn’t rely on the combustion of fossil fuels. 

The brand new tires as a substitute use carbon black from Monolith, made by means of methane pyrolysis and never requiring combustion, Goodyear says. Monolith’s methane pyrolysis course of as a substitute splits the methane molecule into carbon and hydrogen, utilizing renewable electrical energy. 

Carbon black is a vital ingredient in tires for its tear and abrasion resistance. Due to their added weight and better torque output, EVs want completely different tires, too. The ElectricDrive GT line, particularly, has a built-in sound barrier for street noise, which is usually additionally a difficulty in EVs, and it claims a quiet journey—despite the fact that in response to Goodyear it’s an “ultra-high-performance” all-season tire. 

Goodyear ElectricDrive GT tires for Tesla Mannequin 3

Goodyear didn’t say the place it procures the methane for the carbon black on this course of, or state whether or not this course of really reduces the carbon footprint of the ensuing product. However it did notice that it’s investigating with Monolith the potential expanded use of carbon black made out of methane derived from waste sources. 

In 2019, Bridgestone claimed to be the primary tire firm to make tires with recovered carbon black from different industrial processes, and final yr it mentioned it’s taking a look at bringing pure rubber again into tires. Goodyear in a 2022 confirmed an indication tire manufactured from 70% sustainable supplies, then only a yr later, this January it upped the ante to 90%. The newest tire thought-about carbon black from 4 completely different sources. Each manufacturers plan to go 100% renewable or sustainable, however these previous couple of p.c would be the most difficult. 

Tesla Mannequin 3 with prototype Goodyear airless tires

Thus far these are solely the alternatives of firms all for greening their photos and decreasing their carbon footprints, however laws may feasibly cowl tire compounds sooner or later. California is contemplating effectivity requirements for alternative tires, although it’s basically a matter of assuring sure fuel-saving rolling-resistance numbers.