Michelin Energy Saver fitted to the new Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVT-i

The Michelin Energy Saver will be the only tyre fitted on future models of the Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVT-i. The tyre contributes to the low environmental impact of the new Toyota, which is scheduled for launch in early 2009, by reducing fuel consumption by 0.2 litres per 100 km and consequently, CO2 emissions by 4 grams per km.

With the Energy Saver, Michelin has met the challenge of providing Toyota’s compact city car with a tyre capable of delivering performance in four areas: significantly greater fuel efficiency, superior grip, long tread life and a more comfortable ride.

Michelin and Toyota worked together to achieve this result with research and development teams coordinating their efforts in a number of areas to obtain the balanced performance the carmaker was seeking. Innovative solutions were introduced for the rubber compound, which integrates new forms of silica, as well as for tyre design and production processes.

For more than 15 years, Michelin has focused its innovation strategy on reducing its tyres’ impact on vehicle fuel consumption. In 1992, Michelin demonstrated that integrating silica in rubber compounds would reduce the tyre’s energy requirement while optimising performance in other key areas such as grip and wear-resistance. Since the market launch of these first tyres, Michelin has helped to generate fuel savings of more than 10 billion litres, thereby reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by more than 25 million tonnes.

Through their development partnership, Michelin and Toyota are delivering simple, affordable solutions designed to make cars safer, more economical and more environmentally friendly. The new Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVT-i equipped with Michelin Energy Saver tyres is yet another example of this kind of solution.