Forget walking on eggshells — one company is ready for us to drive on them, which could make your next drive less polluting.
Stellantis, the automotive conglomerate that owns such brands as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Maserati, has received a patent for eggshell-based tires. More specifically, as Mopar Insiders writes, the tires are filled with calcium oxide from eggshells.
The move to calcium oxide, Stellantis says, would be better for drivers and the environment.
In its patent application, as summarized by CarMoses, the company says calcium oxide tires reduce rolling resistance and increase grip on wet roads compared to current tires, which are typically filled with carbon black and silica. The reduced resistance would also increase fuel efficiency and savings.
The potential environmental benefits are truly exciting.
You may be surprised to learn that tires are one of the biggest pollutants when it comes to our roads. The dust created by tires' carbon black and silica is extremely toxic. Yale research from 2023 estimates that as much as 78 percent of ocean microplastics are from synthetic tire rubber.
This should be especially concerning to drivers of electric vehicles. EVs tend to be heavier than their gas-powered counterparts because of their heavy batteries. That added weight causes tires to wear down more quickly, causing more pollution and meaning the tires need to be replaced more often.
That same Yale study found that tire emissions are 20% higher from EVs than gas-powered cars. (Don't worry — EVs are still a net positive for the environment.)
Stellantis' solution, Mopar Insider writes, involves washing eggshells in acetone and exposing them to temperatures above 1600 degrees Fahrenheit. This causes the shells to decompose, leaving behind calcium oxide, which is then milled to match the consistency of current tire fillers.
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Definitely 💅 The resulting tires are more sustainable than modern ones, which rely heavily on petroleum-mined materials.
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There is not yet a publicly known timetable for when — or if — these tires will hit the road, but it is nonetheless an encouraging development for a product that is in dire (tire?) need of innovation.
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