A hydrogen-electric race car called Mission H24 ran on tyres made of 53% sustainable materials for some of the 2022 Le Mans 24 hours race. Mission H24 completed 43 laps (585km) of Le Mans at race speed. During the race it reached speeds of over 290km/h.
Team manager, Pierre-Lou Fleury said, “This shows that electric-hydrogen propulsion has become competitive.”
In a bid to create ‘zero emission mobility’, a cars propulsion system is not the only factor to rely on. Consideration must also be given to elements such as the tyres.
Typically made of natural and synthetic rubber, tyres are designed to withstand significant use over long periods of time. However, this isn’t conducive to sustainability. Michelin’s newest development, seen on both the H24 in Le Mans and Porsche at Goodwood Festival of Speed, is aiming to change that by using 53% sustainable materials in tyre creation. This included recycling materials such as worn-out tyres and scrap steel and utilising natural products such as sunflower oil, orange and lemon peels and pine resin.
The successful use could be a step towards broader use of sustainable tyres in motorsport.
