Tires wear out fast on EVs. This startup wants to fix that

Electric vehicles cruise quietly and cleanly down streets, unencumbered by a rumbling and dirty gas engine. But while they lack the tailpipe emissions of gas-powered cars, EVs do pollute from another source: their tires.

EVs are heavier than conventional cars due to their batteries. That added weight, plus their ability to accelerate faster than most internal combustion vehicles, means EVs wear tires out quickly. As tires break down, they spew tiny rubber particles into the air — so small that they can be inhaled and enter the bloodstream. Car tire bits are estimated to make up 78 percent of microplastics in oceans, where they’ve been shown to kill aquatic life.

In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, EVs are unequivocally better for the planet than conventional cars. But their higher rate of tire pollution is a side effect that needs to be addressed: 6 million tons of tire particles are released into the atmosphere every single year, and rising EV adoption stands to make matters worse, not better. In one comparison between the fully electric Tesla Model Y and the hybrid Kia Niro, tire particle emissions from the heavier Tesla were 26 percent higher.

To try and solve that problem, U.K. startup ENSO Tyres has been developing tires designed for EVs that it says can slash particulate emissions by lasting longer than competing products. Late last month, the company, which was a finalist for the Earthshot Prize in 2023, announced it had signed a letter of interest with the U.S. Export-Import Bank to build a $500 million factory in the U.S., set to open in 2027. The company hasn’t selected a location yet but named Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Georgia as potential options, and said it is exploring how it can use Inflation Reduction Act tax credits to finance the project.

During its first year, the plant aims to produce 5 million tires, said Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO of ENSO. Erlendsson plans to ​“very quickly” expand operations to make 20 million tires per year — an amount equivalent to around 6 percent of total U.S. tire consumption — though he declined to share a timeline for that target. The company, which is backed by the U.K. government, said that 1,000 London taxis are equipped with its tires. It also currently sells to owners of electric delivery vans.

The secret to creating higher-quality tires that take longer to wear down is not one Erlendsson was willing to reveal. But beyond using higher-grade, longer-lasting materials, ENSO tires are also made to have lower rolling resistance; when a car starts moving, the tires don’t hold a vehicle back as much, reducing friction and causing less wear.

These improvements could have a significant impact on EV tire emissions. According to a 2023 trial conducted over 15 months by ENSO and Transport for London, the government body that oversees transit in the city, in one instance ENSO’s tires reduced particulate emissions 35 percent compared to a standard premium tire. Its tires also increased driving range by about 10 percent during the trial.

The company also aims to address emissions from tire production itself. It plans for the U.S. facility to run on ​“100 percent renewable energy,” with ​“no fossil fuel–generated electricity used to power,” Erlendsson said. Its raw material inputs will be carbon neutral by 2030, the company claims, meaning ​“the removal of all materials derived from fossil fuels” from its process and the use of recycled, renewable, and bio-based materials in their place.

Most EV tires cost around $150–300, but ENSO claims its tires will retail upfront for 10–20 percent less than their competitors’. This is possible, Erlendsson said, because the company sells directly to fleet owners and individuals in the tire aftermarket, allowing them to ​“cut out the middleman.”

The company is part of a larger push to make cleaner and more durable tires.

“Manufacturers want to be able to advertise the longest possible range for their vehicles,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst of transportation and mobility at Guidehouse Insights. There’s also pressure from consumers, he said, who could see having to spend more to replace tires frequently as a strike against EVs.

Regulatory scrutiny is beginning to increase around tire pollution, too. In April, the European Union adopted its first rules on tire emissions, which will impose limits beginning in 2025 for tire abrasion, in line with the EU goal of reducing microplastic pollution 30 percent by 2030. California has also passed a rule requiring tire makers to look for safer alternatives to 6PPD, a chemical in tires that has been linked to deaths of coho salmon and trout — and a chemical that ​“all tire companies in the world are using” right now, Erlendsson told The Verge, including ENSO.

ENSO isn’t the only manufacturer looking to make longer-lasting EV tires with lower particle emissions. The three largest tire makers in the world — Bridgestone, Michelin, and Goodyear — are part of the Tire Industry Project, an initiative that engages in research on tire-wear particles.

Bridgestone’s sustainability goals state that it will develop tires with lower rolling resistance and the company already sells several tires made for EVs. Michelin has developed its own sampling system to collect and analyze tire-wear particles, and says it reduced tire wear by 5 percent between 2015 and 2020. Goodyear has said it will continue to work with EU policymakers and vehicle manufacturers in accordance with tire emission standards.

Across the world, transportation and climate advocates have long pointed to a different solution to the problem of tire — and tailpipe — emissions: reducing car dependency. Or at least shifting to smaller and lighter cars. But while some governments have moved to limit car use or restrict vehicle sizes, all signs point to millions more heavy EVs hitting the road in the years to come. Globally, sales of EVs rose 35 percent from 2022 to 2023, and the EU and several U.S. states have goals to phase out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

That presents a reality that demands action on particulate emissions, according to Erlendsson.

“The way that we really need to look at this is that we’re never going to not use tires,” he said. ​“We won’t make them last forever, but we can substantially reduce the amount of air pollution and microplastic pollution and all the waste.”