Taipei, June 19, 2009 (CENS)--Battling steadily rising crude prices, many leading tire manufacturers as Bridgestone, Michelin and Cheng Shin Rubber have been focusing on building fuel-efficient tires.

Cheng Shin has become Taiwan`s first manufacturer to introduce fuel-saving tires with its introduction of a new series of Maxxis-branded tires boasting reduced fuel consumption and hence less emission of exhaust.

The company said the greener tires boasting fuel-efficiency will bring massive business opportunities with rising crude oil prices.

Michelin is turning out 60% to 70% of sedan tires as fuel-saving models, which are available in six different types and retail at the same price as conventional tires.

Michelin said its Primacy LC-series environmental-protection tires are fuel-saving and quieter due to special rubber compound.

With the introduction of fuel-saving, green tires, Bridgestone Taiwan said it would soon promote a Green Car campaign to instruct drivers to change driving habits to save gas.

Taiwanese tire makers still lag foreign rivals in developing green tires but are trying to narrow the gap.

For instance, Cheng Shin adopts special "FDSS" rubber in the Maxxis-branded MS800 green tires which achieve rolling distance on asphalt 58 meters longer than typical tires. The company is building 40 to 65 sedan tire models in MS800 green specs.


(by Ben Shen)