Goodyear showcases electricity generating tyre

Conceived by Goodyear's Innovation Centre engineers and simply called by its development code BH03, the tyre can transform generated deformation and vibrations into electrical energy.

As interest for electric cars grows in the global marketplace, this type of innovation is expected to play a role in ongoing discussions on the future of mobility. The tyre is a purely conceptual development and is designed to be part of the company's innovation thought process. There is no plan to release this tyre to the market.

"Concerns about energy and the environment drove us to develop this energy producing concept tyre. Every futuristic idea starts with a societal challenge that we aim to address as we work to build a better future. We are highly convinced that this tyre provides inspiration and that its insights will have a place in future development," said Jean-Pierre Jeusette, general director at the Goodyear Innovation Centre in Luxembourg, which developed the concept.

Two types of material

The concept tyre creates electrical energy that supplies the batteries of the car's hybrid powertrain, as well as other on-board technologies. The tyre generates electricity via the action of two types of material:

• Thermoelectric material transforms the heat (generated inside the tyre by the ultra-black texture in static condition by light/heat absorption or by its rolling when dynamic) into electric energy; and
  
• piezoelectric material transforms the pressure due to structure deformation and vibrations into electric energy.

These new materials form a 3D network which constitute the inner structure of the tyre. This structure could potentially support the load of a car if the tyre gets punctured, an alternative approach to delivering RunonFlat technology. Additionally, it features a large circumferential channel to improve aquaplaning resistance and a unique tread to absorb noise.

"This electricity generating concept tyre is further proof of the impressive innovation developed by our designers and scientists from the Goodyear Innovation Centre in Luxembourg, and we are thrilled to showcase it at Geneva," said Jeusette. "What is especially impressive about the tyre is that its remarkable technology has been created in a way that furthers Goodyear's constant quest for sustainability, quality and safety."

The tyre is a pure concept development and will not be produced by Goodyear. Concept tyres are designed as part of the company's innovation process and are developed to stir debate, discuss possible solutions and enable engineers to think out of the box to deliver smart solutions for a smart future.