Partly as a result of its recent R&D investments of €800 million per year, Bridgestone has launched Enliten, a lightweight tyre technology that is claimed to offer vehicle handling and stability benefits. A key enabler of this claim is that the design is composed of less raw materials than conventional tyres, creating a weight saving of around 10%, which reduces vehicle unsprung weight. Bridgestone says that the design also reduces rolling resistance by around 20%, and offers the same wear life as a standard original equipment tyre.
The Enliten tyre design combines a proprietary compound mix that enables improved wear performance and a decreased tread depth, a reduced and reinforced inner liner thickness, and a dedicated mould design concept.
Paolo Ferrari, CEO and president of Bridgestone EMEA, stated, “As we are working towards our long-term environmental vision to manufacture products from raw materials that are fully renewable and sustainable by 2050 and beyond, Enliten is a great step forward.”
Bridgestone has indicated that it will soon announce partnerships that will see Enliten technology applied to vehicles in the European market.
