Michelin, uncontested leader in tyre wear particle reduction: new recognition by the ADAC and its million members

• For the second consecutive time, Michelin has been recognized by the ADAC¹ as the uncontested leader in the reduction of particle emissions caused by tyre abrasion.

• Thanks to its leadership in innovation, Michelin has been committed to understanding and reducing tyre abrasion for 20 years.

• Tyre abrasion, a global challenge targeted by the Euro 7 Regulation in Europe.

Last May, ADAC, the German automobile association famed for the severity of its tests, published a new study on 160 tyre models covering all brands. According to this, Michelin tyres emitted 26% less particles than their premium competitor’s average. A result that confirms a previous study published in 2021, which already demonstrated that Michelin tyres emitted 28% less particles than the average for premium tyres. Michelin’s closest competitor emitted 20% more particles, per kilometer driven and per metric ton transported.

These results illustrate the innovative efforts made by Michelin to offer tyres that perform throughout their lives, combining excellent lifespan, reduced particle emissions, and minimum raw material consumption. This approach naturally results in tyres that emit few particles. The ADAC study also demonstrates that this performance can be associated with a very high safety level.

Michelin, committed to understanding and reducing tyre abrasion for almost 20 years 
Michelin has been innovating for over 20 years to reduce the abrasion phenomenon, the result of contact between the tyre and the road. This commitment has allowed for developing innovations that reduced the wear emissions from its tyres by 5% between 2015 and 2020. These advances represent the equivalent of 100,000 metric tons of particles that have not been released over this period, with the aim of improving this figure even further in the next few years.

For example:

• The MICHELIN Primacy 5 tyre reduced particle emissions by 14% compared to the MICHELIN Primacy 4+.
• The all-new MICHELIN CrossClimate 3 Sport, a summer tyre approved for winter use (3PMSF certified), reduces particle emissions by 23% compared to the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 5, the summer tyre in the same category.

At the end of 2023, Michelin announced the creation of a joint laboratory with the CNRS and the University of Clermont Auvergne: the BioDLab. Its mission is to better understand the biodeterioration of wear particles and to develop tools that allow for offering real solutions for these to be assimilated by the environment.

Through these initiatives, Michelin intends to further increase its understanding of the tyre wear phenomenon and their deterioration process. There are several objectives: reduce emissions, provide scientific responses, and develop real technical solutions. An approach that demands rigor and constant investment. 

Tyre abrasion, a global challenge targeted by the Euro 7 Regulation in Europe
In Europe alone, road transport generates approximately 500,000 metric tons of tyre wear and roadway particles every year.

The Euro 7 standard, which was passed in July 2024, will allow for measuring global wear particle emissions for all tyres sold on the European market. It will no longer be possible to market tyres that do not meet the requirements of this standard.

The objective is clear: significantly reduce the amount of tyre particles emitted in Europe.