What tyre’s are suitable for long haul driving?
Long haul efficiencies and ‘mild on/off’ tyres are among the new offerings from Bridgestone.
Bridgestone is completing its long-haul Ecopia tyre range with Enliten technology, with the launch of Ecopia trailer. With this addition, fleets are said to be able to improve fuel efficiency and reduce total cost of ownership across steer, drive and trailer axles, while all three also contribute to lowering CO2 emissions.
The company claims that the range “substantially” outperforms the previous generation for reduced CO2 emissions across the life cycle – with the steer and drive tyres receiving independent, pioneering ISO 14067 certification.
As a result of the savings on fuel consumption, Bridgestone Ecopia steer, drive and trailer can apparently help reduce carbon emissions when the tyre is in use by 3.2%, 6% and 5.6% respectively per kilometre driven. Thanks also to the improved wear of the tyres, the CO2 emissions per kilometre allocated throughout production (the so-called ‘cradle to gate’ phase) is now reduced by 38.4%, 10.8% and 20.4% respectively.
Ecopia’s reduced ownership costs and environmental impact on the roads are claimed to be made possible by decreased rolling resistance and improved wear life, compared to its previous generation. The range is reckoned to reduce rolling resistance reduction across all axles, including up to 12% in the drive axle. This enables an EU label A-grade performance in fuel efficiency.
Additionally, Ecopia is said to offer enhanced mileage across all axles, with 40% higher mileage on steer – thanks to the addition of ‘spiral belt technology’ – 6% on drive and 10% on the trailer axle.
The Bridgestone Ecopia range key sizes align with the new EU taxonomy criteria for both rolling resistance and external rolling noise requirements.
Mild on/off options
The company has also announced the debut of the M-steer 002 and M-drive 002 tyres, designed for fleets operating in both on-road and off-road environments. The tyres feature new compound technology to provide advanced durability and performance.
Key features of the tyres include extended wear, enhanced traction, robust durability and improved fuel efficiency. It terms of wear, performance is claimed to be up by 20% on the previous generation. Similarly, lowering rolling resistance by over 10% is said to enhance fuel efficiency and enable cost reductions.
Both tyres are engineered with durable tread resistance and a robust casing for protection against chip, cut and chunk damages, resulting in lasting performance. An optimised tread pattern and full-depth centre groove promises better traction off-road and performance throughout tyre life.
The steer and drive 002s are also engineered for multiple retread capability. The retreadable design enables extended tyre lifespans, reduced waste and lower overall operational costs, supporting customer commitments to reducing environmental impact.
The M-steer 002 will be offered to fleets in three sizes: 315/80 R22.5, 13 R22.5, and 385/65 R22.5. The M-drive 002 will be available in two sizes: 315/80 R22.5 and 13 R22.5. Additional sizes will be added throughout this year. The tyres will also be available as part of Fleet Care – a customisable suite of solutions combining tyres, tyre technologies, service solutions, and fleet management tools for fleet operations – to help the company’s fleet customers further boost their total value of ownership.
The ‘mild on/off’ segment is bridging the gap between regional trucking and severe off-the-road fleets. The new 002s will replace previous generations in the company’s product lineup.
For more information on the Escopia Trailer Tyre, click here.
