As part of a strategic partnership, Continental has developed a highly efficient tire for Renault Group‘s innovation teams with up to 35% lower rolling resistance than required for the EU tire label’s top A rating. For a vehicle with a battery range of 500km, this translates to approximately an additional 30km of range per charge – roughly the distance from Paris to Versailles.

The starting point for the tire was Continental’s EcoContact 7, which was then adapted to Renault Group’s requirements. The tire maker combined a specially modified tread compound with a customized sidewall design and an optimized tire construction.

Continue reading Continental develops bespoke tire for Renault that delivers up to 35% lower rolling resistance at Tire Technology International.

Hankook Tire has hosted a kick-off event for the ‘Development of Tire Manufacturing Technologies Using Sustainable Materials’ project carried out out as part of South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE)’s 2026 Environmental Technology Development Program.

The initiative seeks to accelerate Korea’s circular economy by securing high-quality recycled raw materials from end-of-life tires and advancing their commercialization in tire manufacturing. It consists of two key workstreams: the development of technologies for producing premium recycled feedstock from waste tires; and the establishment of tire manufacturing technologies using sustainable materials.

Participation in the national project expands existing private-sector research into a broader collaborative ecosystem involving industry, academia and research institutions.

Continue reading Korean consortium launches project to advance sustainable tire manufacturing and circular economy at Tire Technology International.

Goodyear is to supply advanced lunar tires for the NASA Artemis program’s Lunar Outpost Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which is expected to support astronaut missions on the moon beginning in 2028.

Designed for operations at the lunar South Pole, Pegasus will enable astronauts to travel farther, operate longer and unlock new scientific exploration capabilities in one of the harshest environments known. Goodyear’s lunar tires are built to meet this challenge – engineered to withstand extreme temperature swings, rocky surfaces and low-gravity conditions while helping astronauts move safely and confidently across the lunar surface. Drawing on advanced science and decades of experience, these tires build on Goodyear’s work in extreme environments on Earth and in space.

Continue reading Goodyear to supply tires for NASA’s Pegasus lunar terrain vehicle at Tire Technology International.

McLaren Trophy has extended its official tire partnership with Pirelli, with the tire maker supplying tires and on-track technical support across all McLaren Trophy series in both Europe and North America for the next three years.

The renewed partnership focuses on delivering optimal performance, consistency and safety for competitors, while enabling close cooperation in tire development, trackside engineering, logistics and data sharing to enhance race weekend operations.

“We are delighted to continue our close relationship with Pirelli as our official tire supplier partner,” said Giorgio Sanna, head of motorsport, McLaren Automotive. “McLaren Trophy is a growing platform and tire performance is central to the competitiveness and safety of our championship.

Continue reading Pirelli and McLaren Trophy extend official tire supplier partnership at Tire Technology International.

Pirelli and Univrses have announced that they have signed an agreement for the integration of the Swedish deep tech specialist’s AI‑based computer vision 3DAI technologies into the tier maker’s Cyber Tyre system. Pirelli has also acquired a 30% stake in Univrses.

The combination of the technologies developed by Univrses and Pirelli will deliver vehicles that are “safer and more performant”, the companies said, with potential applications in ADAS and autonomous driving systems. The solution will also deliver timely, relevant and actionable data, for a range of road management use cases. Insights will enable road authorities to make better decisions and deploy resources more effectively, potentially reducing road-related accidents and saving lives.

Continue reading Univrses AI technology integrated into Pirelli Cyber Tyre platform at Tire Technology International.

Bespoke versions of the Pirelli P Zero R have been developed for the new Audi RS 5 and RS 3 Competition Limited. Designed to balance everyday usability with track performance, the tires have been developed with a focus on improved grip and shorter braking distances. Audi RS was among the first to adopt the P Zero R. The fitments build on more than 25 years of collaboration between Pirelli and Audi Sport in developing tailored tires for high-performance vehicles.

Ad-hoc development

Audi’s primary objective was braking performance. The P Zero R has been designed to approach the levels of performance of the semi-slick Trofeo R, delivering very short stopping distances and consistent deceleration under demanding conditions.

Continue reading Audi RS models get bespoke Pirelli P Zero R tires at Tire Technology International.

Dunlop Motorcycle Europe and Infront Moto Racing have extended their partnership, with Dunlop continuing as an official tire partner of the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) under a new multi-year agreement.

Dunlop’s extension follows its most successful MXGP season, with Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre winning the 2025 world championship on Dunlop tires. The company has also achieved success in the MX2 and women’s WMX classes, with riders like Kay de Wolf and Lotte van Drunen recently claiming world titles.

In MXGP, teams can choose their tires freely, prompting Dunlop to continually innovate its Geomax range to give riders a competitive edge on diverse track surfaces.

Continue reading Dunlop continues as MXGP official tire partner in multi-year deal at Tire Technology International.

Goodyear and TIP Group have extended their long-term partnership for a further five years. The renewed agreement also marks 20 years of close and constructive collaboration between the two companies.

Over the past two decades, Goodyear and TIP Group have worked side by side to support fleet operations across Europe. Goodyear has supplied high-performance tire solutions from its commercial ranges, tailored to the operational requirements of TIP’s fleets and the evolving expectations of its customers.

As market conditions and regulations evolve, sustainability has become a key focus of the partnership. With Goodyear’s latest commercial truck tires, including the KMax Gen-3 range, TIP Group can offer customers tires made with at least 40% sustainable materials, while maintaining fleet durability and B-label rolling resistance to enhance fuel efficiency.

Continue reading Goodyear and TIP Group extend 20-year partnership for another five years at Tire Technology International.

Dunlop has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cabot to evaluate the commercial adoption of circular reinforcing carbons made with Cabot’s patented regenerated carbon technology. This circular reinforcing carbon, developed with Cabot’s Evolve Sustainable Solutions and made from reclaimed pyrolyzed tire material, is being considered for use in Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ tire production.

Cabot’s circular reinforcing carbon, using regenerated carbon technology, is a new material for Sumitomo Rubber. It is seen as a potential tool for reducing emissions and will be evaluated for mass-produced tires, while Cabot works to scale the technology to meet future demand.

Continue reading Dunlop and Cabot sign MOU to explore regenerated carbon for sustainable tire production at Tire Technology International.

Nokian Tyres has launched the Betula concept tire containing raw material made from birch bark. The renewable material made by Reselo uses the residue from the global pulp, paper and plywood industry – the Betula marks the first use of this recycled material in a tire.

The material is included in the tread compound of the concept tire, bringing the amount of renewable and recycled material content to 93% of all materials used on the tread.

The alternative sustainable material is positioned as a performance-enhancing addition. The concept tire, based on the tread design of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 non-studded winter tire, has been tested at Nokian’s facilities in Ivalo in Finnish Lapland and in Nokia, Finland.

Continue reading Nokian Tyres unveils concept tire using performance-enhancing birch bark material at Tire Technology International.