Case Study
Improving the environmental performance of tyres for electric vehicles
The challenge
Personal mobility is one of the main contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions (est. 14%), and as societal wealth grows, the desire for convenient and personalised transport modes grows too. Currently, the unsustainable automotive production system is transitioning from fossil fuel driven vehicles to electric battery and hydrogen fuel-cell driven vehicles with lower carbon footprint. Existing initiatives focus on improving the environmental performance of tyres – however, being able to re- or “up”cycle traditional tyres is not enough in itself to overcome the environmental burden of the mobility sector. Instead, new materials based on natural, non-toxic materials need to be developed and the current linear business model of selling, consuming and disposing of tyres, with no recollection and recovery at end-of-life, needs to be re-invented to keep materials at their highest possible value through closed loop systems.
What we want to achieve
Our ultimate goal is to develop a robust co-creation and feasibility evaluation approach that can allow for the servitisation of key players in the mobility industry to partner-up and co-create circular value propositions through new collaborative agreements. AIM4CE is piloting this idea by working with two companies, Riversimple and ENSO Tyres, to explore different Product/Service-System (PSS) business model pathways for disruptive innovations for mobility, focusing on sustainable and efficient tyres for electric vehicles.
Partners
Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Riversimple, ENSO Tyres