Eco Revolution R - Low Carbon Emission Variable Rolling Resistance Wheel

In a world where automotive manufactures are facing huge challenges legislatively and therefore financially, to reduce CO2 emissions, and of which are only going to increase, a high performance economy tyre has been until recently an oxymoron. In fact they are directly opposing requirements; however Fusion Innovations Ltd through the ECORR project is working on proving the feasibility of such a tyre.
The concept was born from creating an innovative mechanism that could operate in two modes: an economic mode for normal driving conditions and a high performance high traction mode for cornering and braking. The resulting effects are akin to combining the differences of a bicycle racing tyre (fast and efficient) and a mountain bike tyre (slow but high traction). The initial designs were complex in operation and manufacture and high in cost, but enabled the concept to be protected, and attracted the interest of the TSB. Through the Low Carbon Disruptive Technologies Feasibility project the ECORR design has evolved into something ofsimplicity in operation and manufacture and at an affordable cost, as a result it has far surpassed expectations and opened up many more potential mainstream markets than was initially thought possible.
The project has been a successful collaboration between The University of Birmingham and Fusion Innovations Ltd, favourable early analysis from the University is showing efficiencies in the region of 7.5 to 10% CO2 reduction, through the use of multi-compound designs and low rolling resistance mechanisms that switch between modes to provide both an economic low rolling resistant tyre and a tyre with high performance and great safety. This ground breaking British project is proving to enable a substantial competitive advantage in a market worth nearly 1.7 billion units by 2015.