Goodyear will be unveiling an innovative electric vehicle concept tyre on its stand 2056 in Hall 2 at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show. The tyre is part of an ongoing European Union project, which seeks to reduce the impact of noise in cities throughout the EU.
As part of the project, engineers from the Goodyear Innovation Center Luxembourg are looking at how new tyre technology can contribute to a quieter inner city and are developing a prototype tyre specifically designed to fulfil the requirements of future electric vehicles.
The EU’s CityHush project is proposing quiet zones, so called Q-Zones where only electric vehicles will be allowed, defined by a maximum noise level. As a result, noise levels are expected to be reduced by about 15 dB. There will also be a special focus on parks embedded within the Q-zone, where the aim is to achieve a 10-20 dB noise reduction.
The project will look at improved indoor and outdoor noise score rating models, the impact of vehicles, tyres and road surfaces as well as building design and noise barriers. This should lead to a park environment with a greatly reduced noise level, a better acoustic environment, additional health benefits and a more useable and relaxing recreational space.
One of the components of traffic noise is generated by the interaction between motor vehicle tyres and the road surface. The amplitude and frequency content of this noise is a function of many parameters, including the road surface texture, tyre dimensions, tyre materials, and construction and the tread pattern design.
Jean Pierre Jeusette, General Director of the Goodyear Innovation Center Luxembourg explains: “We are the only tyre manufacturer part of the CityHush project. The concept tyre for this project highlights our enormous research and development efforts in the production of tyres for current and future electric vehicles, focused on continuously minimizing vehicle’s impact on the environment. “
CityHush will implement Q-zones in five European cities –Bratislava(Slovakia), Bristol (UK),Essen(Germany), Gothenburg (Sweden) andStockholm(Sweden) – through modeling, using input from traffic and noise mapping models available for the different cities.
LEADER IN INNOVATION – The innovative electric vehicle concept tyre on display at Goodyear’s stand at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show. The tyre is part of an ongoing European Union project, which seeks to reduce the impact of noise in cities throughout the EU.
LATEST INNOVATIONS ON DISPLAY – From left is (1) Goodyear’s introduction to the European tyre label and how it is benefitting the consumer in safety and environmental performance, (2) its electric vehicle tyre technology promoting a quieter ride on future electric vehicles and (3) BioIsoprene technology - a revolutionary bio-based alternative for petroleum-derived isoprene. BioIsoprene™ can be used for the production of synthetic rubber – which in turn is an alternative for natural rubber – and other elastomers. The development of BioIsoprene™ will help reduce the tyre and rubber industry’s dependence on oil-derived products.
