Continental unveils recycled prototype tire for electric vehicles

Continental has unveiled a prototype tire designed for electric vehicles, developed under the EU-funded ZEvRA research project. The tire features approximately 43 percent recycled materials, including recycled steel, rubber from end-of-life tires, polyester fibers from PET bottles, and recovered tall oil. When combined with renewable raw materials and mass-balance certified components, over 80 percent of the tire is derived from recycled, renewable, or certified circular sources.

The prototype utilizes pyrolysis to recover carbon black from discarded tires and recycled foundry sand as an alternative to traditional silica. Despite its high performance and top-tier EU rolling resistance rating, which helps extend electric vehicle range, the product is not yet ready for mass production.

Continental identifies several hurdles to commercialization, including immature recycling infrastructure, the need for industrial-scale material availability, and a lack of standardized European definitions for what constitutes “recycled” materials. Moving from prototype to series production will require establishing innovative recycling technologies at an industrial scale and navigating complex regulatory frameworks.