Author: Niall Beamish

The Problem:

When we think of car pollution, we understandably tend to think of CO2 emissions and other pollution associated with combustion engines. However, tyres are also a significant source of pollution and emissions, one that is often overlooked.

End-of-life tyres make up 2% of total global waste. Often, these discarded tyres are disposed of by burning, releasing harmful toxins and pollutants into the earth’s atmosphere. However, tyres are problematic even before they are thrown away or burned.

When tyres wear against road surfaces, they release tiny particles. According to Imperial College London, tyre particles now account for 28% of the microplastics found in our oceans. The consequences on human health are also alarming. In England alone, air pollution is linked to between 26,000 and 38,000 premature deaths annually.

As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to grow, the challenge of tyre pollution has gained increased attention. EVs generally weigh more than their combustion engine counterparts due to their heavy batteries. As a result, tyres on EVs degrade much faster, contributing to even greater plastic particle emissions.

Another closely related challenge is EVs’ limited driving range, particularly in areas where charging infrastructure is sparse. This problem restricts EV’s wider adoption, especially in economically developing regions, where the energy transition lags behind.

According to the International Energy Agency, EVs comprised over 18% of car sales in 2023—a notable increase from previous years—but expanding this market further requires substantial improvements in tyre efficiency.

The Solution:

ENSO, a British company, has positioned itself as the world’s first sustainable tyre company, dedicated to addressing the joint challenges of tyre waste and emissions as well as EV range.

At the heart of ENSO’s innovation is its use of recycled carbon in tyre manufacturing, which decreases the carbon footprint associated with traditional tyre materials. The company is also establishing a fully circular recycling system, enabling used tyres to be reclaimed and repurposed efficiently.

In a pilot program, ENSO’s tyres showed a 35% reduction in emissions throughout the tyre lifecycle, while simultaneously boosting EV range by up to 10%.

Impact & Lessons:

ENSO is scaling its model in line with the energy transition. In June 2023, the company secured a letter of interest from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to develop a $500 million production plant in the United States, capable of manufacturing up to 20 million EV tyres annually. This facility promises to accelerate the availability of sustainable EV tyres, with an impact reaching beyond the UK market.

For innovators, ENSO’s model emphasises the importance of looking beyond vehicle emissions to the entire lifecycle of automotive products and advocating for sustainable practices across the entire supply chain.