Continental’s new tyre series revealed with high share of sustainable materials

Continental has revealed its brand new tyre series, UltraContact NXT, and it’s not the grippiest or hi-tech tyre. No, this tyre series is special because it is made of up to 65% renewable, recycled, and mass balance certified materials.

The German tyre manufacturer claims that with this, It has become the first manufacturer to mass-produce a tyre with a substantial proportion of sustainable materials and maximum EU tyre-label performance.

Renewable materials like resins based on residual materials from the paper and wood industries account for up to 32 percent of the UltraContact NXT. The tyre also features silicate from the ash of rice husks. Continental has also made use of its ContiRe.Tex technology to generate high-performance polyester fibers used to reinforce the tire carcass through recycling PET bottles. The PET bottles recycled in this process would have otherwise been dumped in a landfill or ended up in incinerators.

The UltraContact NXT will sport a special logo on the sidewall containing “recycled materials.” The tyre series is a huge step towards Continental’s goal of over 40% renewable and recycled content in its tyres by 2030. 

Ferdinand Hoyos, Head of Continental’s Business Area Replacement Tyres EMEA, said: “At Continental, safety, performance, and sustainability go hand in hand. With the UltraContact NXT, we deliver on our ambitious sustainability goals. This development represents a significant leap forward and demonstrates our technological leadership as well as our strong commitment to both sustainability and safety.”

“With its impressive performance, the UltraContact NXT pushes sustainability to the NXT level,” he further stated.

The UltraContact NXT replaces the UltraContact in Continental’s portfolio. Available in 19 sizes, it will be available at tyre dealers in Europe this July.