Michelin aims to produce tires with 40% recycled and renewable materials by 2030. By 2050, the company aims to produce tires with 100% recycled and renewable materials while achieving net zero carbon emissions across its value chain.
Alexis Garcin, president and CEO of Michelin North America, emphasized the importance of balancing the three P's (people, planet and profits) in every business decision.
When it comes to people, Garcin said Michelin seeks to be a top employer and a good steward in its relationships to the communities it serves. When it comes to the planet, he said, the company wants to reduce its impact on the environment.
"And on the profit side, it's a means to an end. We need to be profitable to be able to invest in the right people obviously, we also invest in new technologies and materials innovation that will pave the way for the future innovation towards a sustainable mobility," he said.
Garcin highlighted the company's pursuit of high-tech materials and optimizing tire performance — minimizing friction and maximizing longevity.
He noted that there are 200 different materials that go into building a tire.
"We look at every single material we put in our tires, making a life-cycle assessment, and also, of course, optimizing the manufacturing process, and doing all of that while maximizing the performance," he said.
When it comes to electric vehicles (EVs), Garcin said tires are the key in improving vehicle efficiency. Tires with optimized rolling resistance have the potential to add up to 40 miles of additional battery range, he said. He added that Michelin has consistently improved tire longevity in its products.
Cyrille Roget, Michelin Group technical scientific communication director, said the company does full life-cycle assessment of their tires to seek solutions — "From the extraction of the material, the manufacturing, logistics, the usage of the tire on the vehicle, and finally the collection and valorization."
He said only about 20% of the sustainable gains can be made through materials, as 80% comes in how the tire is used, and that means designs and innovations that reduce rolling resistance and improve longevity.
Michelin is making progress towards its goal of renewable and recycled material in its tires. In 2022, the company unveiled a passenger tire made of 45% renewable and recycled materials and a commercial product made of 58%. And last year at 24 Hours of Le Mans, the company featured a tire made of 63% renewable and recycled materials.
"More performance with less environmental impact," Garcin said.