Yokohama Tire Corp.'s new dB Super E-spec passenger tire, which is composed of 80% non-petroleum-based materials, is now available.
Yokohama is calling the dB Super E-spec "the world's first orange oil-infused passenger tire."
The tire "mixes sustainable orange oil and natural rubber to drastically cut the use of petroleum without compromising performance," says Yokohama Vice President of Sales Dan King.
"It also helps consumers save money at the gas pump by improving fuel efficiency via a 20% reduction in rolling resistance and an Advanced Inner Liner that minimizes tire weight and reduces air loss to help the tire stay properly inflated."
"The idea of combining oil from orange peels with natural rubber was originally conceived by our racing engineers," says Mark Chung, Yokohama's director of corporate strategy and planning. "The same orange oil technology... can be seen today with our Advan ENV-R1 TM racing tire on Porsche GT3 Cup cars."
The dB Super E-spec also contains a new compound, Yokohama's proprietary Super Nano-Power Rubber, which is designed to deliver lower rolling resistance.
The tire will initially be available in four sizes: 185/65R15 88H, 195/65R15 91H, 195/55R16 86V, and 215/60R16 95V, all of which fit the Toyota Prius, Honda Accord Hybrid and other vehicles.
