Is climate change causing increased severity of weather events? If yes, then fossil fuel-based transportation segment will be forced to change.

The world is changing! It used to be that if you spoke irreverently about a religion, you would be accused of blasphemy. But today, one could also be blasphemous for not believing that human activities are causing climate change!

Climate change can affect global weather patterns. These changes, in turn, influence the intensity and, in some cases, the frequency of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, heat waves, floods, droughts and storms, including forest fires.

Extreme rainfall and flooding left paths of destruction through communities around the world in 2021. The latest was in Tennessee, USA, where a record-shattering 17 inches of rain fell in 24 hours, turning creeks into rivers that flooded hundreds of homes and killed at least 18 people. One study looked at the rainfall from the European storm that killed more than 220 people when floods swept through Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in July 2021.

Another study points out that the western North American extreme heat in late June 2021 would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. Recently, more than 100 people were feared dead in communities across the American Midwest and South after a string of powerful storms and tornadoes swept across 6 states overnight. Until now, storms of such severity were rare so late in the season.

A decade ago, scientists weren’t able to confidently connect any individual weather event to climate change. Even now, many scientists are not sure whether there is a link between climate change and the frequency or strength of storms, in part because of limited data. Still, a team of climate scientists have reported that human-induced global warming of 1.2 degrees Celsius has made storms of higher severity 1.2 to 9 times more likely than it would have been in a cooler world. They also point out that in recent years, tornadoes seem to be occurring in greater ‘clusters’.

Transportation segment taking corrective steps

There has always been extreme weather. But it is prudent to accept that activities such as burning fossil fuels are contributing to global warming and proactively take corrective steps before being forced to do so. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) and hydrogen power are the most discussed alternatives to vehicles powered by internal combustion engine (ICE). While rapid progress is being made to shift from ICE to BEVs for personal transportation, powering commercial vehicles (CV) for zero emission may be more challenging. While just 2 percent of the vehicles on the road are commercial vehicles (out of which trucking accounts for 22 percent of all CO2 produced by the transport sector), their impact on emissions, and the environment, is disproportionately large. Indeed, any approach to reduce emissions in the trucking sector is a good thing. Battery electric or even hydrogen power, all possess the potential to achieve this goal. Trucks using battery power don’t require any changes to infrastructure but will be expensive, take a long time to charge and add excess wear to roads. Hydrogen trucks will be lighter and able to refuel in minutes like ICE vehicles, but making hydrogen isn’t easy or cheap.

Now there is a third option currently being evaluated in Frankfurt, Germany, that seems to be turning heads. Here, trucks will be powered by overhead electric power lines, as is the case with trams and trains, with a pantograph mounted on truck cab.

As part of a strategic effort to increase its presence in the region's premium original equipment (OE) market, Kumho Tire has confirmed its plans to establish its first tyre production facility in Europe by 2027.

The company has shortlisted Poland, Serbia and Portugal as possible locations for the plant, which is projected to need an investment of more than KRW1 trillion (USD 705 million). The decision is closely linked to Kumho’s ambition to strengthen its partnerships with European automakers and was revealed by Kumho Tire CEO during the South Korean premiere of Kumho's new Ecsta Sport tyre line.

Kumho has recently secured OE supply contracts with major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group. At the moment, Kumho runs eight tyre production plants in China, Vietnam, South Korea and the US. Its capacity to compete in the premium OE market, however, has come to be perceived as being constrained by the absence of a European production base. Through the benefits of local production, the new facility will improve response to European client requests, save freight costs and shorten delivery times, all of which will strengthen the company's partnerships.

Sentury Tire USA has opened pre-enrolment for its two associate dealer programmes (ADPs), the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program and the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program, underscoring the company’s commitment to rewarding dedication and partnership to the Landsail and Delinte brands.

The ADPs, which are customised for each brand and intended to encourage dealers, will formally start on 1 June 2025. Both programmes give dealers access to special benefits, incentives and strong tools to help them expand their businesses. This involves dependable customer service, effective marketing and worthwhile financial incentives to promote dealers' success at every stage.

Beginning in Q3, dealers may earn up to USD three per tyre through the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program. Dealers can receive retroactive benefits for purchases completed in Q2 if they register before 1 June. The awards are available for all Delinte PTR, LTR and the new DV3 LMD AS last-mile delivery tyres. For all Landsail PTR and LTR tyres, independent dealers that sign up for the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program can also earn up to USD three per tyre. For customers who sign up by June 1, the new LMD 100 AS last-mile delivery is also eligible for the benefits and will get the same early bird incentive for Q2 2025.

No initial order is necessary. Dealers only need to register to begin making money. According to the monthly programme rewards structure, 48 tyre purchases each month are eligible for a reward of USD one per tyre, 120 tyres are eligible for a reward of USD two per tyre and 240 or more tyres are eligible for a reward of USD three per tyre.

ENSO, a London-based tyre manufacturer engaged in the production of sustainable tyres specially designed for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its new ENSO Premium range of EV-specific ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres aimed at drivers of high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Specifically designed for electric passenger vehicles, the ENSO Premium range comes with A/A EU-label ratings for both energy efficiency and wet grip. The tyres are designed to provide safety, increased range and a reduced total cost of ownership. Conventional tyre designs frequently fall short of the special performance needs of electric vehicles, which include greater vehicle weight, regenerative braking and higher torque loads. By lowering tyre wear and rolling resistance, ENSO Premium takes care of these issues.

The company is an authorised provider of replacement tyres for LEVC's electric taxis and has partnered with Uber to install its tyres in high-mileage metropolitan areas. The company now plans to grow throughout Europe and North America, and with ENSO Premium, it is now offering its services to individual EV owners throughout the United Kingdom. According to ENSO, the range offers advantages including longer tyre life and fewer replacements, lower energy usage, fewer charging stops and lower CO₂ emissions and tyre particle pollution.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO and Co-Founder, ENSO, said, “We’re plugging a long-standing gap in the tyre market by offering EV drivers a purpose-built, affordable, premium EV tyre alternative that matches the innovation of their EV.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has announced a general price hike in North America for its SBS, SIS and HSBC product lines with effect from 1 May 2025.

Following a careful analysis of the effects of recently implemented tariffs, related cost increases and a conclusion that the company cannot independently absorb these repercussions, Kraton is adopting these pricing hikes, according to a company statement. The company further said that it will keep an eye on the scene and reassess these measures promptly in the event that conditions and US import tariffs alter.