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Bridgestone on Tuesday announced it will be supplying teams at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) with tyres developed using 63% recycled and renewable materials. The tyres, 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. The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge will takes place from Sunday, 22 October, in Australia
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.
“ENLITEN®”: Bridgestone’s new technology for premium tyre designin EV era
Bridgestone has developed new tyres for the 2023 BWSC featuring ENLITEN®, the company’s new base technology for product design. ENLITEN® elevates conventional tyres 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 tyres 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 customise tyres based on the needs from the teams to demonstrate the new ENLITEN technology and exceptional capabilities of the tyres. Bridgestone will further develop and deliver ENLITEN technology equipped tyres customised for customers through motorsport and conventional tyres.
BWSC tyre made using 63% recycled and renewable materials
The tyres Bridgestone is supplying will include a tyre 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 tyres includes recycled organic fiber, recovered carbon black, recycled rubber chemical, recycled oil, and reinforcement material using recycled steel. Furthermore, tyres supplied to the cruiser class were additionally developed using rice husk silica and carbon black recovered through pyrolysis of used tire.
- Low carbon emission logistics in tyre shipping
For BWSC tyre shipment, Bridgestone chose to work with DHL, a leading logistics provider targeting zero emission by 2050. Through the use of DHL’s GoGreen Plus solution, the transport of tyres 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 tyres 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.*
The BWSC showcases the “Energy” and “Emotion” vales of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment,* which outline Bridgestone’s corporate commitment to the realisation of a carbon neutral mobility society (Energy) and to inspiring excitement and spreading joy to the world of mobility (Emotion).
Bridgestone E8 Commitment
The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the “Bridgestone E8 Commitment,” to help it realize its vision: “Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company.” This commitment will serve as the Group’s axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The “Bridgestone E8 Commitment” consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter “E” (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.
Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone is a global leader in tyres and rubber building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company employs approximately 130,000 people globally and conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
