Sumitomo Rubber unveils petroleum-free natural rubber tire

Japan tire manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries has begun sales of automotive tires that contain no petroleum components since the advent of synthetic rubber, according to a report published on Xinhua-run financial information platform Xinhua08.

The new product, Enersave 100, is made from natural rubber, plant fibers and silica, instead of synthetic rubber, fibers and other oil-derived components that make up around 60 percent of a conventional tire, the company’s filing showed.

The new tire is also around 20 percent more resistant to abrasion than Sumitomo Rubber's existing models, said the company.

The tires will initially be sold at a recommended wholesale price of 21,105 yen per tire. The company said it has set a first-year sales target of 5,000 tires.

Sumitomo Rubber has been working on ways to reduce its use of synthetic components since 2001. (Edited by Olivia,olivia@tireworld.com.cn)