Accelerating Innovation for
the Future of Mobility by Utilizing a 'Mobile Laboratory’
Bridgestone Corporation
today announced that it will be supporting the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar
Challenge (BWSC) with ENLITEN™ technology*1 tires, which feature the first
application of new recycled materials developed through co-creation with
partners, increasing the ratio of recycled and renewable materials*2 to over
65%. The company will supply these tires to 33 teams from 17 locations.
The BWSC, which will take
place August 24 through 31, is the world’s foremost solar car event. Held every
two years, participants are challenged with traversing approximately 3,000
kilometers across the Australian continent using only limited solar power.
Bridgestone has been the title sponsor of BWSC since 2013; this event
underscores Bridgestone’s focus on accelerating innovation for next-generation
mobility, including EVs and electric vehicles, as well as developing the
engineers who will shape the future of mobility. *3
For the 2025 BWSC,
Bridgestone will supply tires with ENLITEN technology, which ensures the
performance required for solar cars while further advancing sustainability. For
the first time, Bridgestone has applied recovered carbon black and steel, which
are recycled materials developed and produced through co-creation efforts
focused on advancing recycling technology that 'renews' tires to raw materials.
Furthermore, the company is evolving its sustainability initiatives throughout
the value chain, such as reducing the number of tires used and introducing
low-carbon tire shipment for contributing to a circular economy and carbon
neutrality.
Through the BWSC as a
'mobile laboratory,' Bridgestone will refine its technology, thereby
strengthening future sustainable global motorsports activities. Additionally,
by pushing the limits and challenging for excellence, alongside participating
teams that share a passion to race, Bridgestone is committed to accelerating
innovation for the future of mobility.
Bridgestone's initiatives
in sustainability for the 2025 BWSC are as follows:
1. Applied New Recycled Materials through
Co-Creation with Partners – Achieving over 65% recycled and renewable materials
Recovered carbon black
obtained from a precise pyrolysis of end-of-life tires using Bridgestone’s test
unit, in co-creation with ENEOS
Since 2022, Bridgestone has
been advancing its efforts in chemical recycling of end-of-life tires to
contribute to the realization of a circular economy. In 2023, the company
introduced a test unit at the Bridgestone Innovation Park in Kodaira City,
Tokyo, and has been further developing technology to obtain recovered carbon black,
etc. through the precise pyrolysis of end-of-life tires in collaboration with
ENEOS Corporation. Bridgestone has made the first application of the recovered
carbon black obtained at its own test unit for 2025 BWSC tires.*4*5
Recycled
steel through co-creation with Nippon Steel and Sanyo Special Steel
Since 2022, Bridgestone has
been collaborating with Nippon Steel Corporation and Sanyo Special Steel Co.,
Ltd. to promote the recycling of end-of-life tires in alignment with their
shared vision for a circular economy. In a first for BWSC tires, the company
has incorporated bead wire, a reinforcement material for tires, made from
recycled steel obtained from end-of-life tires collected at the Bridgestone
Tire Recycle Center Osaka. The recycled steel is obtained from end-of-life
tires in Sanyo Special Steel’s electric furnace, and then is rolled and
heat-treated to bead wire at Nippon Steel’s facility.
2.
New Premium – Evolution of ENLITEN technology
The tires for the 2025 BWSC
will equip the ENLITEN technology, continuing from the previous event,
achieving a high level of both environmental performance and tire performance.
Through co-creation with partners, Bridgestone has enhanced environmental
performance that contributes to sustainability by applying new recycled
resources mentioned above, as well as the new aramid material Twaron®*6 with
circular content by Teijin Aramid. At the same time, the tires ensure low
rolling resistance, durability, lightweight construction, and puncture
resistance required for solar cars, maximizing their performance and supporting
safe and secure long-distance journey of approximately 3,000 km under the harsh
conditions of the BWSC.
3.
Low carbon emission logistics in tire shipping
For BWSC tire shipment,
Bridgestone works with DHL, utilizing its GoGreen Plus solution. By using
sustainable maritime fuel, it enables to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85%
across the entire lifecycle (Well-to-Wake) of fuel production, transportation,
storage, and onboard usage, achieving low carbon shipment.
Overview
of the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge
1．Date：August 24-31, 2025
2. Host Country: Australia
(Start: Darwin; Goal: Adelaide)
3. Host: South Australian
Motorsport Board (SAMSB)
4. Event Classes (The
number of teams is as of June 4)
(1)
Challenger Class
A challenge to be first in
vehicles designed for speed; vehicles require more than three wheels and one
driver.
Bridgestone support: 25
teams (Total 29 teams)
(2)
Cruiser Class
A challenge testing
vehicles' energy efficiency and practicality; vehicles more than three wheels
and be able to be ridden by one driver and more than one passenger. Bridgestone
support: 8 teams (Total 8 teams)
(3)
Explorer Class
A challenge open to vehicles
that do not meet the requirements to compete in the Challenger Class or Cruiser
Class, such as vehicles based on the regulations of prior competitions.
The BWSC showcases the
"Energy," “Ecology” and "Emotion" values of the Bridgestone
E8 Commitment,*7 which outline Bridgestone's corporate commitment to the
realization of a carbon neutral mobility society (Energy); advancing
sustainable tire technologies and solutions that preserve the environment for
future generations (Ecology); and inspiring excitement and spreading joy to the
world of mobility (Emotion).
• ENLITEN is a technology that evolves
environmental performance, expands basic performance, and elevates all
conventional performances in tires. It also pursues "ultimate
customization" to sharpen the edge in tire performance which not only
meets the apparent needs and potential wants of the markets and customers, but
also further inspires markets and customers by creating new value that they may
not have imagined, according to the characteristics of diverse vehicles and
usage conditions.
• Recycled material has been reprocessed from
recovered [reclaimed] material by means of a manufacturing process and made
into a final product or into a component for incorporation into goods or
services. Renewable material is composed of biomass from a living source and
can be continually replenished. The material shall come from sources that are
replenished at a rate equal to or greater than the rate of depletion. (These
definitions are based on ISO 14021: 2016)
• Bridgestone World Solar Challenge official
website:
https://www.bridgestone.com/bwsc/
Organizer
website:
https://worldsolarchallenge.org/
• 2023/06/08 Bridgestone Commences Pyrolysis
Test of Used Tire Recycling
• This achievement described in text is
attributed to a grant project funded by the New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in Japan.
• Twaron® is a registered trademark of Teijin
Aramid.
• The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the "Bridgestone E8 Commitment," to help it realize its vision: "Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company." This commitment will serve as the Group's axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The "Bridgestone E8 Commitment" consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter "E" (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.
