Naturally, Nokian.

Some Interesting Facts About the Tire Industry's Most Innovative and Original Brand

Rolling Resistance

The rolling resistance of tires may differ greatly. A nearly 40% difference in rolling resistance transforms into an approximately 6% difference in fuel consumption. Thus, the tire can save both the environment and money. With the current fuel prices, a tire with a more economic rolling resistance can save nearly $500 over a driving distance of 50,000 miles. A wise choice of tires and a careful driving style also help to significantly reduce the CO2 emissions generated while driving.

Rolling resistance refers to the energy consumed in the deformation that takes place when the tire grips the road. This deformation, and the amount of energy it requires, can be regulated with structural and material choices in tire design. Examples of factors that increase energy consumption include the tire temperature, tire pressure, load index and tire wear, as well as air resistance and turbulence depending on the driving speed. Furthermore, a 0.5-millimeter water layer may increase rolling resistance by 50%.

Rolling resistance affects the environment throughout the tire’s useful life. Light rolling corresponds to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Rolling resistance is measured in terms of a rolling resistance coefficient: the greater the coefficient, the heavier the tire rolls. The average rolling resistance value for contemporary tires varies from 1 to 1.2.

Only 20–30% of the energy contained in fuel can be used to move a vehicle. This energy is used to accelerate and brake, but also to overcome rolling resistance and air resistance.

Purified Natural Oils Instead of Petroleum

Nokian Tyres is the world’s first tire manufacturer to have fully eliminated high-aromatic (HA) oils in its production. The purified oils used by Nokian Tyres contain less polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) than required in the pertinent EU directive.

HA oils are the by-products of oil refining. The tire industry began using them in tire production in the 1950s. The oils, used as plasticising agents in the production of treads, facilitated the mixing of different raw materials and the refining of rubber compounds.

HA oils are classified as carcinogens because they contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

In tire production, HA oils can be replaced with non-labelled oils, that is, low-aromatic (LA) oils, which contain less than three per cent of PAH compounds. Studies show that this content of PAH compounds is low enough to render them harmless.

Clean, low-aromatic oils are produced by extraction from high-aromatic oils. This procedure removes nearly all PAHs from oil, converting them into low-aromatic compounds.

Nokian Tires Against Climate Change

Nokian Tyres wants to be a pioneer in the development of the tire industry and the safety and environmental friendliness of its own products. Examples of this are non-toxic HA (high aromatic) oil-free production and the development of the rolling resistance of tires. In 2006, in recognition of its development work, Nokian Tyres received a commendation for its eco-friendly tires in the Finnish round of the ”European Business Awards for the Environment” competition.