Continental to Present Highly Efficient and Sustainable Tire Solutions at IAA Transportation

Hanover, Germany, September 5, 2024. Continental will be presenting three new tires for the bus and truck segment at IAA Transportation 2024 from September 17 to 22 in Hanover. With these innovations, the premium tire manufacturer is focusing on efficient and sustainable solutions that are also optimized for electric vehicles. Visitors to the Continental booth will be able to experience the new Conti EfficientPro 5 truck tire. The rolling resistance of this original equipment tire has been improved by 10 percent compared with its predecessor model. It offers excellent energy efficiency – rated with EU tire label Class A – combined with outstanding braking performance. Continental will also be showcasing its most sustainable tire for city traffic to date: the Conti Urban NXT, which recently entered pilot production. It is composed of an extremely high proportion of renewable, recycled and ISCC PLUS mass balance-certified materials, coming in at 59 percent. Its low rolling resistance also makes it a game changer for electrified commercial vehicles. With the Conti EcoPlus HT3+, the tire manufacturer will present the latest iteration of its innovative trailer tire that is specifically designed for trailers with an electrified drive axle.

"We are continually making our tire solutions for commercial vehicles more sustainable and efficient both in terms of materials and on the road," says Holger Lange, Head of Research and Development for Truck and Bus Tires at Continental, adding: "The Conti EfficientPro 5 offers excellent energy efficiency, reducing consumption, lowering fleet costs and helping to protect the environment. The Conti Urban NXT is Continental’s most sustainable commercial-vehicle tire to date."

Continental offers its customers innovative tire solutions for the secure, sustainable and cost-efficient operation of trucks and buses. These include the new Conti EfficientPro 5. Developers have succeeded in reducing the tire’s rolling resistance by 10 percent compared with its predecessor within the EU tire label Class A. As a steering-axle tire, it is also the first long-haul tire in size 315/70 to enable an axle load capacity of 8.5 tons, making it ideal for electric trucks. The original-equipment tire for long-distance applications is thus setting new standards in energy efficiency and supports battery range. 

The tread’s special rubber compound combined with the tire’s rigid profile help to reduce rolling resistance, which in turn extends mileage by around five percent compared with the predecessor model. The tire’s profile provides a secure grip and superior tracking. Its especially low external rolling noise level (EU tire label Class A) means that the Conti EfficientPro 5 is EU Taxonomy-eligible. 

"We have improved the rolling resistance of the Conti EfficientPro 5 by a full 10 percent compared with its predecessor within Class A of the EU tire label. This is a major technological leap that will help our customers save fuel and further reduce CO₂ emissions," says Leo Kolodziej, Head of the Original Equipment Business for Truck Tires for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Continental. The experts at Continental have achieved this without making any sacrifices in terms of running and wet braking performance. "This is impressive because very low rolling resistance and very high braking performance are competing aims under the laws of physics," explains Kolodziej. 

The Conti EfficientPro 5 is designed for trucks with both combustion engines as well as hybrid or purely electric drives. It will be commercially available from the start of 2025, initially in the two sizes 315/70 R 22.5 and 385/55 R 22.5. Additional sizes will be added in due course. 

Ford, Iveco, Scania and Volvo, manufacturers of long-haul trucks, will be exhibiting the tires on their display vehicles at this year’s IAA.

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), one in six new buses exceeding 3.5 tons that were registered in 2023 were partially or fully electrified. Continental is responding to this trend with the Conti Urban NXT – a new original equipment tire designed for city transport. It combines a high proportion of sustainable materials with exceptional energy efficiency, making it ideal for electrified city buses and delivery vehicles. The pre-production version of the all-season tire will be on display at IAA Transportation, with market launched planned for 2025. It will initially be available in the size 275/70 R 22.5.

With up to 59 percent renewable, recycled and ISCC PLUS mass balance-certified materials the Conti Urban NXT has a very high share of sustainable materials. Up to 25 percentage points more than the average share of renewable and recycled materials used in Continental’s commercial-vehicle tires. For the Conti Urban NXT, Continental has allocated up to 24 percent ISCC PLUS mass balance-certified materials, i.e., synthetic rubber and carbon black from circular and bio-circular materials. The proportion of recycled materials is three percent. This includes recycled rubber originating from mechanically processed end-of-life tires as well as recycled steel. The Conti Urban NXT has a sustainable raw materials content of 32 percent, consisting mainly of natural rubber.

The Conti Urban NXT’s rolling resistance has been reduced by 25 percent versus the comparable Conti Urban HA3 model. This translates into lower CO₂ emissions for combustion-engine vehicles and an increased battery range of up to 15 percent for electric vehicles. High-density interlocking sipes ensure a secure grip, superior tracking and excellent braking performance – also in wet conditions and throughout the entire service life of the tire. The specially developed rubber compound reduces tire abrasion and enhances resistance against cuts, cracks, chips and breakage. The mileage of the Conti Urban NXT is also around 15 percent higher than the predecessor model. Boasting very low external rolling noise, the Conti Urban NXT is an EU Taxonomy-eligible tire and thus perfectly tailored to the requirements of electric vehicle fleets. 

Another development Continental is set to showcase at this year’s IAA Transportation is the Conti EcoPlus HT3+. This tire – which is specifically designed for trailers with electrified drive axles – offers exceptionally balanced performance in terms of traction and rolling resistance and an especially high load capacity. The tire’s features are specifically geared to new-generation trailers featuring fully electric drive axles. Accordingly, the tire’s load capacity has been increased by 500 kilograms per axle to enable a constant payload despite the higher net weight resulting from the battery. The company had unveiled the prototype back in 2022. Continental is the exclusive development partner for this innovative trailer concept from the company Trailer Dynamics. The aim is to hybridize tractor trucks with battery-powered electric trailers, reducing their fuel consumption and thus their CO₂ emissions.

The siping tire tread profile of the Conti EcoPlus HT3+ has been designed specifically with traction in mind, while an innovative rubber compound provides a balanced combination of grip and mileage. As a result, the tire ensures maximum safety in all weather conditions. The tire, which can not only be used on electrified trailer axles but also fitted as an all-round tire, will initially be available in the sizes 355/50 R 22.5, 385/65 R 22.5 and 385/55 R 22.5. Market launch is scheduled for early 2026. 

All new tire developments presented by Continental at IAA Transportation are in keeping with its "Lowest Overall Driving Costs" (LODC) advisory approach. The goal is to provide the transport industry with an effective lever to withstand increasing cost pressure and at the same time make its fleets more sustainable. Tire-related costs generally account for around two percent of a fleet’s budget. However, tires have a considerable impact on fuel, maintenance and repair costs, which together can account for up to 50 percent of total fleet operating expenses. Premium tires, data-based service management and on-schedule tire checks can significantly reduce the costs of running a fleet. 

Continental will be exhibiting at this year’s IAA Transportation in Hanover in hall 12 at booth C41. Also showcased at the booth will be Continental’s new digital fleet management solution, enabling automated tire tread depth measurements for the first time. Fleet operators are now able to obtain precise and daily updated data on the rate of wear of their commercial vehicle tires. More information about this solution can be found here. Visit www.continental-iaa.com for all information on Continental’s trade fair presence.