Pirelli: increasingly sustainable tyres thanks to innovative technologies

Tyres with reduced environmental impact and high levels of technology to improve performance and rolling resistance. This is the goal Pirelli has set itself in upgrading its summer, winter and all-season tyre ranges. "Sustainability is a great technological challenge, one that will allow us to improve industrial processes and enrich our offer," explains Francesco Sala, Pirelli's executive vice president Region Europe.
What does the word sustainable mean for Pirelli and why is it a technological challenge?
"Attention to environmental sustainability is a long-standing company value that involves not only our research and development, design and production departments, but also the entire production and supply chain, such as raw materials and components, the construction of new industrial plants and product distribution. For Pirelli, sustainability is a technological challenge because it gives us the opportunity to create a product capable of maintaining high levels of performance by using materials with a low environmental impact".
What kind of materials are we talking about?
"Innovative materials both from a technological point of view, as they are the result of extensive research work, and their origin. These are, for example, lignin and rice husk, both of which are processing waste. Their use within the compound reduces the consumption of components of a fossil nature or whose production, such as silica, requires high energy consumption. Technological innovation means taking waste products and reusing them within a new product”.
Can you give us examples of such products?
"In 2021 we presented a P Zero tyre, designed for the new Bmw X5 xDrive45e Plug-In, made from natural rubber and rayon obtained from FSC (Forest stewardship council) certified plantations. While a few months ago the P Zero E came out, which is the result of extensive research work. Here, too, we started from the company's flagship product, which has 1,400 approvals worldwide, to create a tyre with unique sustainability characteristics: more than 55% of the materials used are certified plant-based or recycled. The P Zero E is a tyre intended for electric mobility and equipped with Elect technology, which in terms of performance has achieved triple A-class label”. In both cases, these are tyres made using the Eco-Safety Design approach. A method that uses innovative tools, including advanced virtual techniques inherited from our motorsport experience, based on artificial intelligence, neural networks, and driving simulation. These systems are able to predict tyre behaviour based on previous developments and return effective solutions without the production of physical prototypes. All this with the aim of achieving high sustainability performance, such as optimised fuel consumption, noise reduction, increased tyre durability and safety, such as improved braking, dry and wet grip.
How did you manage to get to this level of tyre development?
"Working side-by-side with car manufacturers. In the case of tyres for electric vehicles, we work as a technology development partner. The manufacturers specify their requirements and from there our engineers, with the help of test benches and virtual simulators, design the tread patterns, mix the materials for the compounds and test the prototypes of the tyres for premium and prestige cars.
The issues we talked about were addressed at the Futurmotive - Expo & Talks event: what convinced you to participate as an exhibitor?
"Our participation at Futurmotive - Expo & Talks, which Autopromotec decided to organise, was an important occasion to draw attention to how technological development and sustainability must proceed along a common line, involving our distributors and tyre dealers, who have always been crucial partners”.