The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co. is developing a product for electric vehicles (EVs) that it says will help ease something that has hampered their competitiveness against petrol-powered vehicles: tyre duration.

EVs weigh more than their internal combustion counterparts owing to their heavy battery packs, putting more wear and tear on tyres. Goodyear is seeking to extend EVs’ tyre mileage with its new ElectricDrive 2 product that it plans to reveal on Jan 9 at CES in Las Vegas.

The first iteration of the tyre came with a 60,000-mile (96,560km) warranty. The average EV tyre typically needs to be replaced after 30,000 to 40,000 miles, according to Kelley Blue Book. 

Goodyear expects the tyres to be commercially available in North America starting in May, joining two other EV-specific offerings, according to chief technology officer Chris Helsel. (Goodyear also released the Urban Max BSA tyre line in June 2023, which is specifically designed for electric buses.) 

The ElectricDrive 2 series will be produced in 17 different sizes – the company’s largest line for EVs, Mr Helsel said – that will serve vehicle models including the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Chevy Bolt. He declined to specify the cost of the ElectricDrive 2 line of tyres and planned production quantities. 

The company’s new EV product is expected to feature materials including soya bean oil used in the tyre’s construction as well as sustainably sourced natural rubber and high-quality rice husk ash silica, which is a by-product when rice is processed. 

Tyre pollution is a growing concern for the industry, both at the end of their life and the pollution they leave on the road in the form of tiny particles that can include microplastics, volatile organic compounds and other chemicals that pose a risk to the environment. BLOOMBERG