Goodyear First to Achieve Key Labeling Mark for Fuel Efficiency and Extreme Traction
AKRON, Ohio, March 12, 2020 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has become the first tire manufacturer to produce an original equipment all-season tire, set to be publicly released later this year, with the industry standard 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) designation that also is rated Rolling Resistance "A" in the European Tire Labeling Regulation.
Goodyear’s Life Cycle Assessment results point to the product-use phase as our greatest opportunity to reduce GHG emissions. Goodyear has the ability to help influence fuel efficiency through our tires’ rolling resistance and weight. A tire with low rolling resistance and a vehicle with less weight consume less fuel and emit fewer greenhouse gases. To help reduce rolling resistance, tire construction must reduce unnecessary weight and minimize the energy losses in the tire, while maintaining sufficient traction. Therefore, we always test our rolling resistance and weight reduction advancements in tandem with wet grip to ensure top performance in both categories.
Combining a traction level to meet the severe snow 3PMSF requirement while also delivering rolling resistance performance as an A-class tire is a significant achievement. Enabling both premium traction and premium fuel efficiency – a benefit from rolling resistance performance – helps represent an example of Goodyear’s successful role in future mobility solutions.
The project represented great teamwork and cross-functional collaboration between Goodyear’s technology teams in Luxembourg and Germany, leveraging the most recent tread pattern developments conducted in the replacement all-season lines, as well as new rubber compounding formulations. The Goodyear teams have been working with vehicle manufacturers on this technological breakthrough, with fitments planned for later this year on vehicles such as the Peugeot 2008/3008/5008, DS3 Crossback and DS7 Crossback.
Several additional Goodyear fitments for other original equipment manufacturers will follow this year.
“This project is a great example of anticipating the needs of the customer, demonstrating our technical superiority, and converting advanced technology into customer benefits,” said Xavier Fraipont, Goodyear’s vice president of EMEA Product Development.
Note: In European Tire Labeling, there are three categories: Fuel Efficiency; Wet Grip and Tire External Rolling Noise. In the Fuel Efficiency category, seven classes exist, ranging from G (least efficient) to A (most efficient).
About Goodyear
Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 63,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
