Pirelli to produce world’s first FSC certified tire

Milan, Italy – Pirelli will be the first company in the world to produce a range of FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) tires designed for the BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid. These tires contain FSC certified natural rubber and rayon, and represent a new horizon for increasingly sustainable tire production. The new tire will be produced exclusively at Pirelli’s Rome factory in Georgia.

FSC forest management certification confirms that plantations are managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring economic viability. The complex FSC chain of custody certification process verifies that FSC certified material has been identified and separated from non-certified material as it makes its way along the supply chain, from the plantations to the tire manufacturer.

The Pirelli P Zero tire, the world’s first FSC certified tire using FSC certified natural rubber and rayon sourced from FSC certified plantations, will be supplied in the 275/35 R22 size for the front and 315/30 R22 size for the rear on the BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid. The second generation of the BMW X5 with electrified drive combines a model-specific 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder gasoline engine featuring BMW TwinPower turbo technology with the fourth generation of BMW eDrive technology. The plug-in hybrid drive has produced a system output of 290 kW/394 hp, along with a maximum system torque of 600 Nm, an electrically powered range of 77-88 km (WLTP). The BMW Group conducted a full cycle CO2 certification for the BMW X5 xDrive45e from raw material procurement, the supply chain, manufacturing and the use phase, all the way to recycling. 

This P ZERO has been developed by Pirelli according to its ‘perfect fit’ strategy, meeting the performance needs of the German manufacturer for this popular model, while contributing to the ‘green’ philosophy of this hybrid vehicle. 

The new tire will be produced exclusively at Pirelli’s Rome, GA, factory in the United States, and is designed to specifically target environmental sustainability along with low rolling resistance (scoring ‘A’ on the European tire label), which improves fuel consumption and reduces consequent harmful emissions. On top of this, noise levels are lower, which further benefits the environment, according to Pirelli.