The Jagung Tyre

Brace yourself for corny tyre jokes and puns (sample: it’s “a-maize-ing”)… Goodyear has introduced the world’s first tyre with a compound derived from corn. Its new GT3 is the first tyre on the market using a new starch-based filler material called BioTRED, which uses common corn as its “feedstock.”

A patented innovation developed at the company’s Luxembourg technical centre, BioTRED partially replaces more conventional carbon black and silica. “This presents important environmental advantages, including remarkably lower rolling resistance – and as a result, less fuel consumption, noise reduction, lower carbon dioxide emissions and less energy consumption in the production processes,” said Filomeno Corvasce, the Goodyear engineer who developed it.

Moreover, BioTRED uses renewable compounds versus non-renewable sources. The starch used in the production of BioTRED is derived from corn, in a process similar to the one used in food industries. Then it is treated to obtain micro-droplets of starch. In a next step, these micro droplets are treated, transforming them into a biopolymeric filler. The end product has physical properties that differ substantially from those of traditional fillers. The lower specific gravity of this new material also reduces tyre weight and rolling inertia, thus further improving fuel efficiency.

The tyre is being introduced in Europe first, where Ford will use it as original equipment on a new fuel-stingy version of its Fiesta. It will then likely will be made available in other regions. Initially, there are 17 GT3 sizes for compact to medium-sized vehicles, ranging from 155/70R13 to 195/65R15.

Goodyear Malaysia has not announced any plans to offer this tyre in the local market.