This new UltraContact NXT line of tyres is a remarkable achievement, as it is composed of up to 65% renewable, recycled, and mass-balance-certified materials, while still delivering safety and performance.

In fact, Continental is the first manufacturer to launch a volume production tyre that combines a high percentage of sustainable materials with maximum EU tyre-label performance.

The UltraContact NXT comes in 19 different sizes, and all carry the highest possible rating (“A”) on the EU tyre label for rolling resistance, wet braking, and exterior noise. These tyres are designed to cater to both electric and combustion engines, and they are set to hit the European market this July.

Ferdinand Hoyos, the head of Continental’s Business Area Replacement tyres EMEA, emphasised the company’s commitment to safety, performance, and sustainability. He stated, “At Continental, safety, performance, and sustainability go hand in hand. With the UltraContact NXT, we deliver on our ambitious sustainability goals. This development represents a significant leap forward and demonstrates our technological leadership as well as our strong commitment to both sustainability and safety.”

What sets the UltraContact NXT apart is its innovative use of renewable, recycled, and mass-balance-certified materials. Depending on the size of the tyre, it is composed of up to 65% of these sustainable materials. Renewable materials make up to 32% of the tyre, recycled materials contribute up to 5%, and Continental sources up to 28% of ISCC PLUS mass-balance-approach certified materials from bio, bio-circular, and/or circular feedstock.

For instance, the tyre incorporates resins derived from residual materials from the paper and wood industries, which provide flexibility and improve the tyre’s grip. Additionally, the UltraContact NXT contains silicate extracted from rice husk ash. 

To highlight its commitment to sustainability, the tyre features a special logo on the sidewall that signifies its use of recycled materials. This includes recycled rubber from mechanically processed end-of-life tyres and recycled steel. Moreover, Continental employs Contyre.Tex technology, which involves the recycling of PET bottles to generate high-performance polyester fibres that reinforce the tyre carcass.

In terms of mass-balance-certified materials, the UltraContact NXT incorporates sustainable synthetic rubber and carbon black sourced from bio-based, bio-circular, and/or circular feedstock.

Continental’s commitment to sustainability also extends beyond the UltraContact NXT. The company aims to have over 40% renewable and recycled content in all newly produced tyres by 2030, with the ultimate goal of achieving 100% sustainable materials in all its tyre products by 2050 at the latest.

The introduction of the UltraContact NXT is a significant step towards realising these ambitious sustainability objectives.

Check out what Bridgestone has done with their new Dueler All-Terrain A/T002 Tyre.