Bridgestone is supplying tyres developed with recovered carbon black, recycled oil, rice husk silica and other recycled and renewable materials to teams at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC)
Bridgestone has announced it will be supplying teams at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) with tyres developed using 63 per cent recycled and renewable materials. The tyres are custom designed to meet the unique challenges of the 3,000 kilometre race across Australia.
Bridgestone has always endeavoured to support safety in motorsport where drivers are repeatedly challenged under extreme conditions and situations. The company maintains immense pride and passion, and a relentless commitment to the evolution of technology, production, logistics, brand power, and talent development through motorsport.
“ENLITEN”: Bridgestone’s new technology for premium tyre design in the EV era
Bridgestone has developed new tyres for the 2023 BWSC featuring ENLITEN, the company’s new base technology for product design. ENLITEN elevates conventional tyres by enhancing environmental performance while also exceeding the customer and market demands in product performance. Through the advanced performance attributes of ENLITEN technology, Bridgestone is focused on increasing social value and customer value.
The ENLITEN-equipped tyres supplied to the BWSC were designed to help teams meet the extreme demands during the 3000km event, including low rolling resistance, wear and weight. Bridgestone will customise tyres based on the needs
from the teams to demonstrate the new ENLITEN technology and exceptional capabilities of the tyres. Bridgestone will further develop and deliver ENLITEN technology-equipped tyres customised for customers through motorsport and conventional tyres.
BWSC tyre made using 63% recycled and renewable materials
The tyres Bridgestone is supplying will include a tyre with a recycled and renewable material ratio (MCN – Material Circularity Number) of 63 per cent, which is an improvement compared to approximately 30 per cent in the 2019 BWSC event. The recycled and renewable materials used in the development of these tyres include recycled organic fibre, recovered carbon black, recycled rubber chemical, recycled oil, and reinforcement material using recycled steel. Furthermore, tyres supplied to the cruiser class were additionally developed using rice husk silica and carbon black recovered through pyrolysis of used tyre.
Low carbon emission logistics in tyre shipping
For BWSC tyre shipment, Bridgestone chose to work with DHL, a leading logistics provider targeting zero emission by 2050. Through the use of DHL’s GoGreen Plus solution, the transport of tyres to the BWSC will be a 100 per cent carbon neutral shipment through a combination of using sustainable marine fuel (insetting) and compensation of emissions via VER Gold Standard carbon credits (offsetting).
”Bridgestone is passionate about contributing to a more sustainable motorsports future at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge through our ENLITEN tyres made with 63 per cent recycled and renewable materials, as well as our collaborative supply chain initiatives. We will demonstrate the new technology through the extreme conditions,” said Naotaka Horio, Director, Bridgestone Motorsports. “Additionally, as title sponsor, we are looking forward to helping young and diverse engineering minds from all over the world create breakthrough technologies in the BWSC that can play a role in a more sustainable mobility society of the future.”
