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Eco-focused tire is 80% petroleum free and helps save gas
Yokohama Tire Corporation’s new dB Super E-spec is world’s first orange oil-infused passenger tire
Ever since vulcanized rubber was invented in 1844, tires have been manufactured using mostly petroleum. With the introduction in July 2009 of the all-new Yokohama dB Super E-spec – the world’s first orange oil-infused passenger car tire, which is composed of 80% non-petroleum based materials – Yokohama Tire Corporation says it has effectively re-invented the tire. “The eco-focused dB Super E-spec mixes sustainable orange oil and natural rubber to drastically cut the use of petroleum, without compromising performance,” said Dan King, Yokohama vice-president of sales. “It also helps consumers save money at the gas pump by improving fuel efficiency via a 20% reduction in rolling resistance. With these innovations, the dB Super E-spec could very well be the most technologically-advanced tire ever produced.”
Added Mark Chung, Yokohama director, corporate strategy and planning, “The dB Super E-spec and orange oil technology fit our overall company mandate to produce world-class products while protecting the environment. Every gallon of gas saved by the tire means 20 fewer pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere, and because the dB Super E-spec is made from natural elements, most of its material is derived from renewable resources. No other tire on the market comes close to offering these environmental benefits along with superior performance.”
“The idea of combining oil from orange peels with natural rubber was originally conceived by our racing engineers,” said Chung. “The same orange oil technology, which improves a tire’s grip, can be seen today with our Advan ENV-R1 racing tire on Porsche GT3 Cup cars. The ENV-R1 (the official spec tire of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama) is the first environmentally-sensitive race tire used in a motorsports series.”
The dB Super E-spec, which won Popular Mechanics Editor’s Choice Award at the 2008 SEMA trade show, will initially be available in four sizes: 185/65R15 88H, 195/65R15 91H, 195/55R16 86V and 215/60R16 95V – which fit vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid/Civic GX NGV, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid, Nissan Versa and VW Golf.
For more information, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
Posted July 3, 2021
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