Leo Kolodziej

What impact will the Conti Eco Gen 5 have in terms of the European Green Deal?

Currently, around 89 percent of carbon emissions occur during a tire’s use phase. This proportion can only be lowered by reducing rolling resistance. A reduction in rolling resistance brings fuel savings and lower CO₂ emissions at the same time as saving costs. This is exemplified by the Conti Eco Gen 5. We have improved rolling resistance significantly while still maintaining the same mileage. This is more than a mere shift in performance; it marks a genuine leap forward. And we are also in the process of improving tire sustainability beyond the use phase, i.e. in the supply chains, the materials used and tire disposal.

What added value does the Conti Eco Gen 5 bring to vehicle manufacturers?

The highlight feature is without doubt the optimized rolling resistance of this product line and the resulting improvement in TCO and CO₂ emissions. We have succeeded in creating a tread for regional haulage tires that offers the customary robustness and traction benefits, but with a rolling resistance on a par with a long-distance haulage tire line – and all without sacrificing mileage. We therefore consider ourselves to be the benchmark for TCO and CO₂ in the regional segment and a pioneering force in the transition to a more sustainable transport industry. The new tire will have a significant impact on fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. It’s the tire that enables all fleets to make fuel savings.

What is the link between TCO and sustainability when it comes to commercial vehicle tires?

The European Green Deal focuses on sustainability and reducing CO₂. The aim is to become carbon neutral by 2050. In order to achieve this, vehicle manufacturers have set themselves ambitious environmental targets and a tight timescale. Considering that a truck has a service life of around ten years, OEMs have to work with a longer lead time. The implication of achieving carbon neutrality in the transport sector by 2050 as far as OEMs are concerned is that their vehicles, together with all supplied components, must be made carbon neutral by 2040. Tires can make a substantial contribution here.

What does this mean for the tire developers at Continental?

The transformation to a greener transport industry involves a technological leap, the like of which has not been witnessed in this sector for many decades. We now have an opportunity to help shape this transition and have a measurable impact on CO₂ emissions. At Continental, we have lowered the average rolling resistance for OEM tires in the ‘goods’ segment by around 15 percent over the last three years. And in the long-distance haulage sector, we have managed to reduce average rolling resistance by 26 percent during the past decade. This is also true of the Conti Eco Gen 5.

What other trends do you foresee for the future?

From a technological standpoint, it will be intriguing to see how quickly and to what extent OEMs get involved as mobility providers and drive improvements in vehicle performance. They hold the main levers for dynamically adapting vehicle setups and also integrating fuel-saving tires in the process. A great deal can still be achieved here on a technical level, particularly in terms of digital solutions and sensor technology. I am looking forward to the years ahead as it is sure to be an exciting and dynamic time, during which we will also be able to make a major contribution to carbon reduction.

What is the importance of mileage and rolling resistance for fleet operators?

Tire life is still often used by our fleet customers as the primary criterion for evaluating tire efficiency. This perspective does not tell the full story, however, as tires designed for optimized mileage have higher rolling resistance values, meaning higher fuel costs and CO₂ emissions. The TCO method is a much more constructive approach. 

What importance do tires for alternative drive systems have for the European Green Deal?

The transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV), in other words fleet electrification, has begun. In future, manufacturers will mainly build ZEVs. As a result of this, the tire use phase will diminish in importance as far as CO₂ emissions are concerned. Other criteria will become more important instead, such as alternative raw materials, carbon-free supply chains and carbon-free production processes. The same applies to the EU Supply Chain Law and Deforestation Regulation. It is hugely important that we look at things from a holistic perspective.

Which characteristics will be important for OE truck tires in future? 


That’s a very interesting question. For the next five to ten years, while the majority of vehicles are still running on internal combustion engines, efforts will focus on minimizing rolling resistance, as that’s the biggest lever for TCO and CO₂. With the transition to ZEVs and the adoption of a more circular perspective, other aspects will come into play. In the bus segment especially, we can see the transition to ZEVs progressing at a faster rate than with delivery vehicles. 42 percent of all new bus registrations in 2023 were already zero-emission vehicles. 

What role will sustainable materials play in the truck segment?

On the materials side, retreading concepts will continue to gain in importance. These provide a way of keeping materials in the life cycle for a long time, reducing material input and making use of recycling techniques such as pyrolysis.