Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario — Before Yokohama showed us its new dB Super E-spec tire, I never even knew that “orange oil” existed. But apparently it's made from discarded orange peel, and is one the stickiest substances in the organic world — especially when it heats up.
Which is why Yokohama decided to use it in this tire, one it claims sets a new standard for environmental responsibility, in terms of fuel efficiency performance, and in its manufacturing inputs and processes.
Hybrid Footwear
But before we get deeper into the organic chemistry, let’s take a look at what drove Yokohama to create the tire in the first place.
“There are currently more than 25,000 hybrid vehicles on the road in Canada and that number is expanding daily,” noted Jonathon Karelse, marketing manager of Yokohama Canada. “Providing a replacement tire that meets these owners’ high expectations for environment performance, from design to manufacture to use, puts Yokohama on the ground floor of a market that we think will only grow in size and importance.”
Karelse also notes another target group for its new tire — those obsessed with fuel efficiency. “For some in this group, it’s all about how much am I spending on fuel. So whether it’s an environmental concern, or an economic concern, there has been a change in consumer consciousness on rolling resistance.”
Rolling Resistance
According to company’s technical director, Greg Cressman, when a vehicle rolls down the road, it’s up against three major forces: aerodynamic drag (which accounts for 60-65 percent of the total force); the internal friction of its mechanical components (accounting for 20-25 percent); and rolling resistance (the remaining 15-20 percent).
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| Photo: Mike Goetz/Auto123.com |
Which is why Yokohama decided to use it in this tire, one it claims sets a new standard for environmental responsibility, in terms of fuel efficiency performance, and in its manufacturing inputs and processes.
Hybrid Footwear
But before we get deeper into the organic chemistry, let’s take a look at what drove Yokohama to create the tire in the first place.
“There are currently more than 25,000 hybrid vehicles on the road in Canada and that number is expanding daily,” noted Jonathon Karelse, marketing manager of Yokohama Canada. “Providing a replacement tire that meets these owners’ high expectations for environment performance, from design to manufacture to use, puts Yokohama on the ground floor of a market that we think will only grow in size and importance.”
Karelse also notes another target group for its new tire — those obsessed with fuel efficiency. “For some in this group, it’s all about how much am I spending on fuel. So whether it’s an environmental concern, or an economic concern, there has been a change in consumer consciousness on rolling resistance.”
Rolling Resistance
According to company’s technical director, Greg Cressman, when a vehicle rolls down the road, it’s up against three major forces: aerodynamic drag (which accounts for 60-65 percent of the total force); the internal friction of its mechanical components (accounting for 20-25 percent); and rolling resistance (the remaining 15-20 percent).
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| Photo: Yokohama |