A New Tire From Yokohama Manufactured With Natural Rubber And Orange Oil

Press release
Source: Yokohama Canada

TORONTO, - Designed with ultra-low rolling resistance for enhanced fuel economy and reduced emissions, the Yokohama dB super E-spec tire is the first of the new Eco-motion line of tires in Canada from the company. The first dB super E-spec tires, in sizes for the popular Toyota Prius hybrid, will be available in the Canadian market in October.

The new Yokohama tire is the first product in Canada designed specifically for hybrid automobiles. Introduced in Japan in 2007, the dB super E-spec reconciles the conflict between low rolling resistance - key to delivering improved fuel economy - and superior grip in both wet and dry conditions while offering the quiet, comfortable ride that compliments the silent driving characteristics of hybrids.


Manufactured with 80 per cent non-petroleum materials in a Yokohama plant in Japan that boasts zero emissions, the dB super E-spec will appeal to the growing legion of environmentally conscious hybrid buyers, explains Yokohama Canada marketing executive Jonathon Karelse. "There are currently more than 25,000 hybrid vehicles on the road in Canada and that number is expanding daily. Providing a replacement tire that meets these owners' high expectations for environmental performance - from design to manufacture to use – puts Yokohama on the ground floor of a market that we think will only grow in size and importance," Karelse says.

The new tire features a number of engineering and design achievements that have combined to make it a technological leader.

With 11 per cent to 22 per cent less rolling resistance than competitive tires in its class, the Yokohama dB super E-spec will help improve the already good fuel economy of hybrids which, in turn, further reduces the vehicles' carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions.

"By significantly reducing petroleum-derived oil and using orange oil and other natural elements instead, we've not only created a tire with extremely low rolling resistance but one that's made from more renewable resources than a conventional tire," Karelse explains.

The orange oil, extracted from orange peel, is also key to the tire's wet and dry performance and safety. Orange oil has a similar molecular architecture to natural rubber, also used in the dB super E-spec, making the tread compound more compliant for better traction in braking and cornering.

Other technical innovations include a new, light-weight and less air-permeable inner liner to help retain air pressure and ensure continued low rolling resistance, and a design which minimizes tire noise for quiet operation.