Most sustainable yet? Continental to sell 65% sustainable materials tire in Europe

HANOVER, Germany—On the journey to more-sustainable content tires, Continental A.G. is pushing speed limits. And, it's letting European drivers come along for the ride.

More specifically, it's putting them in the driver's seat.

Continental on June 14 unveiled UltraContact NXT, a replacement tire manufactured with up to 65-percent sustainable materials that is set to make its European market debut next month. The tire is the company's most sustainable yet.

More than that, Continental said with the UltraContact NXT it is the first tire maker "to launch a tire with both a high share of sustainable materials and maximum EU tire-label performance in volume production." All 19 sizes available will carry the highest possible rating ("A") of the EU tire label in rolling resistance, wet braking and exterior noise.

"This development represents a significant leap forward and demonstrates our technological leadership as well as our strong commitment to both sustainability and safety," Ferdinand Hoyos, head of business area Replacement Tires EMEA, said in a statement. "With its impressive performance, the UltraContact NXT pushes sustainability to the (next) level."

The tire—a fitment for both electric and combustion engine models—bears the company's EV compatible logo. Set to debut in Europe, with 19 sizes available to dealers next month, Continental said the tire is an ideal fitment for vehicles such as the Kia Niro, VW ID.3, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Tesla Model 3, Audi Q4 E-Tron, Skoda Octavia, VW Golf 8 and Audi A3, among others.

Renewable materials account for as much as 32 percent of the tire's total content, as it varies slightly given the tire's size. And natural rubber, of course, played a key role here.

But Continental also leaned into some other renewable materials for its latest achievement. Resins made from residual materials from the paper and wood industries were used in the compound to help improve the tire's grip. Meanwhile, rice husk ash silica helps optimize grip, rolling resistance and tire life.

Regarding recycled content, Continental said this accounts for as much as 5 percent of the tire's makeup. As such, UltraContact NXT carries a special "contains recycled materials" logo on its sidewall to underscore the efforts the tire maker has undertaken in this arena.

A major reason for those achievements? ContiRe.Tex technology, which can turn post-consumer PET bottles into key reinforcing materials.

"It generates high-performance polyester fibers used to reinforce the tire carcass through recycling PET bottles, which otherwise would have ended up in incinerators or landfills," Continental said. "With the ContiRe.Tex technology, Continental has developed a more energy-efficient and eco-friendly alternative that allows it to recycle between nine and 15 plastic bottles for each tire, depending on the tire size."

End-of-life-tire-derived materials also have a place in the UltraContact NXT. And that's a critical step for the tire maker, which looks to implement fully circular operations in its tire production by no later than 2050.

As much as 28 percent of the UltraContact NXT's material content is derived from an ISCC PLUS mass-balance-certified materials including synthetic rubber and carbon blacks. This, the tire maker said, helps to ensure transparency and traceability of its supply chain sustainability, especially in the areas of manufacturing and procurement.

"At Continental, safety, performance, and sustainability go hand in hand," Hoyos said. "With the UltraContact NXT we deliver on our ambitious sustainability goals."