Bridgestone, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, is today revealing the latest generation of Ecopia, its long-haul tyre family. Created for fleets seeking to maximise fuel efficiency and boost their total value of ownership, the new Bridgestone Ecopia Enliten range applies Bridgestone’s innovative approach to tyre development, Enliten, to unlock enhanced wear and reduced rolling resistance year-round.
Preparing fleets to perform in a changing world
Over half of all transport in Europe happens on the roads, with nearly 40 percent of that being cross-border travel. Demand for long-haul transportation is high, but the industry is also adapting to economic pressures for cost efficiency, stricter emissions regulations, and the integration of new and innovative connected solutions.
With fleet operations searching for the optimal tyre for their changing needs, Bridgestone has launched Ecopia Enliten, a new long-haul tyre range that delivers best-in-class fuel efficiency.
The launch of this new range marks the first use of Enliten in a Bridgestone truck tyre. Enliten is a combination of cutting-edge technologies providing maximum safety, outstanding tyre performance, improved sustainability characteristics and reduced ownership costs, while making tyres both EV- and future-ready.
The Ecopia’s Enliten technology package incorporates new technologies and innovations from Bridgestone. These include low energy pattern designs and high-performance compounds focused on fuel efficiency, and a new spiral belt construction in low profile Ecopia Steer Enliten tyres that increases cornering power and optimises pressure distribution to improve wear life.
As a result, the Bridgestone Ecopia Enliten range provides a performance that cuts costs and CO2 emissions. The tyres have an EU label A-grade in rolling resistance, with a 12 percent rolling resistance reduction in the drive axle and an 8 percent reduction in the steer axle compared to its previous generation. The Ecopia Enliten’s wear life is also vastly improved vs. its previous generation, with 40 percent higher mileage in the steer axle – without compromising on regular wear – and up to 6 percent higher mileage in the drive axle.
With an EU label B-grade in wet grip and the 3PMSF marking Ecopia Enliten range is suitable for all-season long haulage. On top of its cost-cutting performance, the tyre is engineered with a robust casing for greater retreadability. Developed with the digital future of mobility in mind, the new Ecopia range is already equipped with RFID and is ready to be fitted with tyre-mounted sensors.
Empowering fleets with data to guide their sustainability journeys
The new Bridgestone Ecopia Steer Enliten and Ecopia Drive Enliten tyres are available from January 2024 in size 315/70 R22.5, with four additional sizes added throughout 2024 and one further size in 2025. Ecopia Trailer Enliten will be available from late 2024 to complete the range.
The tyres will also be available as part of Bridgestone Fleetcare – a customisable suite of solutions connecting product, data, technology and service for fleet operations – to help Bridgestone’s fleet customers further boost their total value of ownership.
“Driven by increases in the price of fuel, operational costs have risen for fleets. With best-in-class fuel efficiency and enhanced mileage, our new Ecopia Enliten range is engineered to help our fleet customers overcome this pressing challenge. And we’ve not only focused on reducing costs – the new Ecopia range has also been developed to support fleets on their sustainability journey. By using new Ecopia tyres, an average European long-haul fleet would be able to further reduce CO2 emissions by 192 tonnes per year,” says Waqqas Ahmad, Commercial Sales Director, Bridgestone EMIA. “We’re launching what we believe is the new best choice in the premium segment for long-haulage.”
Source: Tyretradenews
