(Johannesburg August 29, 2023) – Bridgestone today announced it will be supplying teams at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) with tires developed using 63% recycled and renewable materials. The tires, which are custom-designed to meet the unique challenges of the 3,000 kilometer across Australia, mark the first use of the company’s new ENLITEN® technology in motorsport competition.
Bridgestone has always endeavored to support safety in motorsport where drivers are repeatedly challenged under extreme conditions and situations. The company maintains immense pride and passion, and a relentless commitment to the evolution of technology, production, logistics, brand power, and talent development through motorsport. Bridgestone celebrates the 60th anniversary of its motorsport activities in 2023 and keeps the endeavor to support sustainable global motorsport.
1. “ENLITEN®”: Bridgestone’s new technology for premium tire design in EV era
Bridgestone has developed new tires for the 2023 BWSC featuring ENLITEN®, the company’s new base technology for product design. ENLITEN® elevates conventional tires by enhancing environmental performance while also exceeding the customer and market demands in product performance. Through the advanced performance attributes of ENLITEN® technology, Bridgestone is focused on increasing social value and customer value.
The ENLITEN®-equipped tires supplied to the BWSC were designed to help teams meet the extreme demands during the 3000km event, including low rolling resistance, wear and weight. Bridgestone will customize tires based on the needs from the teams to demonstrate the new ENLITEN technology and exceptional capabilities of the tires. Bridgestone will further develop and deliver ENLITEN technology equipped tires customized for customers through motorsport and conventional tires.
2. BWSC tire made using 63% recycled and renewable materials
The tires Bridgestone is supplying will include a tire with recycled and renewable material ratio (MCN – Material Circularity Number) of 63%, which is an improvement compared to approx. 30 % in the 2019 BWSC event, The recycled and renewable materials used in development of these tires includes recycled organic fiber, recovered carbon black, recycled rubber chemical, recycled oil, and reinforcement material using recycled steel. Furthermore, tires supplied to the cruiser class were additionally developed using rice husk silica and carbon black recovered through pyrolysis of used tire.
3. Low carbon emission logistics in tire shipping
For BWSC tire shipment, Bridgestone chose to work with DHL, a leading logistics provider targeting zero emission by 2050. Through the use of DHL’s GoGreen Plus*3 solution, the transport of tires to the BWSC will be a 100% carbon neutral shipment through a combination of using sustainable marine fuel (insetting) and compensation of emissions via VER Gold Standard carbon credits (offsetting).
”Bridgestone is passionate about contributing to a more sustainable motorsports future at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge through our ENLITEN tires made with 63% recycled and renewable materials, as well as our collaborative supply chain initiatives. We will demonstrate the new technology through the extreme conditions.” said Naotaka Horio, Director, Bridgestone Motorsports. “Additionally, as title sponsor, we are looking forward to helping young and diverse engineering minds from all over the world create breakthrough technologies in the BWSC that can play a role in a more sustainable mobility society of the future.”
Placing sustainability at the core of management and business, Bridgestone strives to realize its vision toward 2050 of providing social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company. The BWSC plays a unique role on this journey as a convergence of motorsports and sustainable solutions for the future.*4
The BWSC showcases the “Energy” and “Emotion” values of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment,*5 which outline Bridgestone’s corporate commitment to the realization of a carbon neutral mobility society (Energy) and to inspiring excitement and spreading joy to the world of mobility (Emotion).
