To combat carbon emissions, three South Korean companies have announced the development and commercialization of the nation's inaugural tire crafted from chemically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

SK Chemicals, Hyosung Advanced Materials Co. Ltd., and Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd. proudly unveil the iON tire, tailored exclusively for electric vehicles (EVs), employing circular recycled PET fiber tire cords. This feat harnesses circular recycling, an exclusive chemical technology pioneered by SK, which disintegrates scrap plastics via chemical processes into molecular units, subsequently utilized in the production of recycled plastics.

The collaborative endeavor among the three entities spanned approximately two years, culminating in the birth of the iON tire. SK provided its SKYPET CR recycled PET, while Hyosung Advanced Materials engineered high-strength recycled PET-based tire cords utilizing SKYPET CR as the primary ingredient. Hankook Tire integrated these cords into its premium EV tire brand, iON. Comprising 45 percent sustainable material content, the tire recently underwent rigorous reliability verification by a European automotive manufacturer, securing final approval and deployment as tires for new vehicles.

In line with its commitment to sustainability, Hankook Tire remains dedicated to research and development efforts aimed at achieving 100 percent sustainable material utilization across all tires by 2050. The company aims to spearhead sustainable management practices within the global tire industry by expanding the adoption of eco-friendly materials, particularly emphasizing the iON tire designed for electric vehicles.

The collaborative efforts of the three partners highlight the importance of tire cords as fiber reinforcement materials critical for maintaining tire shape, withstanding driving-related loads and impacts, and enhancing overall durability, driving performance, and ride comfort. Notably, electric vehicles necessitate lightweight and robust tire cord materials to support the weight of their batteries.

SK emphasizes that SKYPET CR offers distinct advantages, maintaining high-quality properties and safety even after infinite recycling, in contrast to the physical recycling method involving washing plastic scrap or cutting it into flakes for reuse. SKYPET CR can achieve properties equivalent to petrochemical-based materials, ensuring sustainability across tire production processes.

In a joint statement, the companies underscore the significance of this tire development as an industry milestone, epitomizing collaborative efforts toward sustainability. This achievement symbolizes the realization of a circular economy model, connecting material producers, intermediate goods manufacturers, and final product producers, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring material and product sustainability.

The commitment to expanding the utilization of recycled materials remains steadfast, with plans to strengthen cooperation with brand owners and various industries to foster similar sustainable initiatives across diverse sectors.

Hyosung Advanced Materials highlights its alignment with the evolving needs of the automotive industry by actively pursuing the integration of recycled materials. In 2022, the company proudly became the first in the tire cord industry to attain International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC Plus) for its recycled PET tire cord production process.

The iON model developed by Hankook Tire stands out for its incorporation of 45 percent sustainable materials, including bio-based, circular, and bio-circular polymers, along with bio-based silica and Hyosung Advanced Materials' tire cords. Notably, the iON model marks the first tire to proudly bear the ISCC Plus certification logo, symbolizing a significant leap forward in sustainable tire manufacturing practices.