EV deniers were partly right – battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) won’t end our environmental problems. We thought recycling the used cells was going to be an issue, but there’s a more pressing matter that needs addressing – tires. They pollute our world in many dangerous ways. Here’s what’s being proposed and how it may impact you.
A British startup is aiming to solve a major, little-known problem with our cars. The tires we use are dangerous polluters. According to The Tyre Collective, just by using tires worldwide people generate about 50% of the total air particulate emissions – a mix of many chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. At the same time, their normal wear generates so much microplastic that tires are now considered the second-largest pollutant of our oceans, right after single-use plastic (straws, PETs, bags, etc).
The startup says we breathe these particles, and this damages our lungs long-term. Similarly, many end up in our waterways and our food. They even argue that EVs are projected to worsen this unfortunate situation. According to the organization, tire wear will only increase with electric vehicles because they weigh more and produce more torque.
It’s hard to disagree with their assessment. Owners of EVs enjoy the instant kick their cars or trucks provide, even if it translates into more wear and tear and higher energy bills.
Since tires are the only thing that connects the vehicle to the traveling surface, they must take the whole load and fight against spinning constantly. Therefore, most tire manufacturers already have in their lineup products aimed solely at EV customers. They’re trying to reduce rolling resistance to increase the range of EVs while also updating the compound to make sure it can have a similar lifespan to tires used on traditional cars.
EVs with front-wheel drive configuration are more susceptible to wheelspin and, therefore, more wear and more pollution can happen. The force delivered to the tire outweighs the tread-to-surface friction. Contact is then lost, and traction is becoming an issue. Sure, there are enough safety systems that keep drivers from danger, but the tires are always the most stressed car parts.
Fortunately, The Tyre Collective has a solution. The origin of it is so simple that some people might even think they’re joking. The startup wants to position a fixed device near the tires which can capture the particles resulting from normal wear. It’s inspired by the static electricity experiment. Charged tire particles leave the car part during normal wear, and, instead of flying around randomly, they’re being carefully trapped by the device.
The organization says its first iteration of the product can capture around 60% of the harmful particles. As more real-world tests are being done, the technology can improve.
The particle capturing device is the collaborative result of four people that studied Innovation Design Engineering at the Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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