The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced its first city transit tires made with a sustainable soybean oil compound. The majority of Goodyear Metro Miler G152 and G652 tires will now use soybean oil to displace petroleum while delivering the same performance benefits. The May 4 announcement marks the fifth commercially available soy-biobased tires resulting from the United Soybean Board’s soy checkoff research investment with Goodyear.
“More good news from Goodyear! U.S. soybean farmers as well as cities and the people who ride their buses all benefit from Goodyear’s introduction of their first city transit tires made with soy,” said USB Director Susan A. Watkins, a soybean farmer from Sutherland, Virginia. “USB is excited that Goodyear has released another tire that builds on the soy checkoff’s research collaboration with them. The availability of these tires responds to what we have heard from fleet leaders from across the nation; they want more tires with soy for sustainability and performance.”
To view or download an infographic on Goodyear’s use of soy, click here.
“The use of soybean oil in the majority of the Metro Miler G152 and G652 tires in production today is a significant Goodyear innovation that reduces the amount of petroleum-based materials needed for production,” said Dustin Lancy, commercial product marketing manager, Goodyear North America. “In these tires, soybean oil replaces about 11 liquid ounces of free-flowing petroleum oil per tire – almost as much as a traditional soda can. Multiply that by a bus fleet of 1,600 buses, about the size used by some major metropolitan cities in the U.S., and that could mean the use of around 20 fewer barrels of oil.”
Goodyear also states that the change underscores their commitment to using more sustainable bio-based raw materials while continuing to deliver quality and performance in its products. The decision is an important step in the company’s global journey to fully replace petroleum-derived oils by 2040.
Both tire models also feature technology designed to resist sidewall damage, enhance toughness and provide long tread life. Reinforced shoulders and steel sidewalls help deliver long casing life, and the integrated sidewall wear indicators make it easier to spot wear due to excessive scuffing. These tires also include a multi-compound, scrub resistant trade that can stand up to the rigors of transit applications and extend tread life by resisting excessive wear, chunking, cracking and chipping.
The Metro Miler G152 and G652 made with soybean oil are currently in production and available now for orders. Other Goodyear tires made with U.S. soy are:
Assurance ComfortDrive ™ all-season tire offers comfort, performance and sustainability with ComfortFlex Technology, designed for smoother transitions and impact absorption.
Eagle Enforcer All Weather™ police tire that provides year-round, responsive performance for police vehicles that handle demanding operating conditions.
Eagle Exhilarate™ line aimed at the ultra-high-performance market-drivers. Introduced in 2019, the Eagle Exhilarate is designed to offer better traction and handling for faster acceleration and more precise control, especially in wet weather.
Assurance WeatherReady™ line introduced in 2017. The Assurance WeatherReady is Goodyear’s Grand Touring All-Season tire designed for the drivers of family sedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs and minivans.
Because of the potential for biobased products to create new markets for soybeans, U.S. soybean farmers have invested millions of dollars to research, test and promote biobased products. Much of this work was done through the United Soybean Board, which is composed of 77 U.S. soybean farmers appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to invest soybean checkoff funds. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Services has oversight responsibilities for the soybean checkoff.