Weed never believe it: Continental taps dandelions for its latest tires
The lowly dandelion proves once again that weeds tend to be underrated, but this time, instead of lending itself to a healthy tea or vitamin-rich salad, the hardy backyard weed is the basis for a new type of rubber that’s strong enough to take a beating under a vehicle.
The dandelion-derived rubber is the result of an award-winning project by Continental Tire in collaboration with scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, along with the Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Munster.
“Our goal remains to develop tires based on dandelion rubber to readiness for series production within the next five to 10 years,” said Nikolai Setzer, a member of the executive board of Continental.
The company’s research has resulted in road-ready tires that are currently being tested in Europe — so far with exceptional results.
But not just any dandelion will work; Continental is harvesting a particular variety from Russia, which contains natural rubber latex in its roots. With global demand for rubber on the rise, this durable and easy-to-harvest crop provides the potential to ease dependence on rubber trees, most of which grow in a relatively small area of rainforest near the equator.
“In agricultural terms, dandelions are an undemanding plant, growing in moderate climates, even in the northern hemisphere, and can be cultivated on land not suitable for food production,” said Dr. Carla Recker, one of the project leaders.
“This means that rubber production is conceivable near our tire factories, for instance, and the significantly shorter transport routes would also reduce CO2 emissions.”
While producing the dandelion rubber on an industrial scale remains a challenge, the company is already testing its application in other car parts, such as engine mounts. The product Taraxagum — named for the botanical term for dandelion — could give “flower power” a whole new meaning.