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.

Apollo Tyres Ltd has secured a one-season shirt-sleeve sponsorship agreement with AS Monaco, one of French football's most successful clubs, to increase awareness for its premium Vredestein brand.

This partnership will leverage Ligue 1's ranking as the fifth most watched football league in the world to raise awareness of Vredestein's award-winning products among a large audience in France and abroad. On November 22, AS Monaco's home league game against Brest will have the new sleeve branding for the first time. The Vredestein brand will be heavily promoted at Stade Louis-II for the 2024–2025 season, including on player sleeves and LED screens around the field. Exclusive social media initiatives will further help make the brand prominent, reaching a large and interested audience.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President – Commercial, Europe, Apollo Tyres, said, “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to strengthen Vredestein’s presence in one of our key markets. AS Monaco’s rich history and commitment to excellence mirror our focus on performance and innovation. We look forward to building a successful relationship with the club and celebrating its achievements this season.”

Thibaut Chatelard, Marketing and Revenue Director, AS Monaco, said: “We are delighted to welcome Apollo Tyres and its Vredestein brand to the family of AS Monaco partners. This collaboration makes sense in view of the values we share, such as the constant pursuit of performance and excellence. There’s no doubt that this new support will be precious for the rest of our season, which promises to be thrilling.”

Nexen Tire, a leading global tyre manufacturer, has launched the Nexen N´Blue S tyre, adding to its range of summer tyres and providing drivers with advanced safety, energy efficiency and superior driving stability in wet and dry conditions.

Developed using highly dispersed silica and equipped with an optimised structural design, the Nexen N´Blue S tyre provides reduced road noise and improved driving stability. The tyre features an innovative tread compound, formulated with hydrophilic fillers and microstructure-controlled polymers, and provides lower rolling resistance and exceptional dry and wet grip. The tyre also excelled in test results by demonstrating an 11 percent improvement in wet braking distance compared to its predecessor.

Apart from providing excellent performance, the Nexen  N´Blue S also scores high on the sustainability index. The tyre provides an eco-friendly solution for environmentally conscious drivers by minimising fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Nexen N´Blue S summer tyre is available in 58 sizes, which makes it compatible with different types of vehicles.

Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. is all set to expand its investment project in Binh Duong province of Vietnam, with the phase 3 of expansion commencing in early 2025. This was discussed at a recent meeting between Vo Van Minh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), and Kim Hyun Ho, General Director of Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The meeting was held on 13 November at the Administrative Centre of Binh Duong province, as per an official statement. Apart from the company’s investment till date and the planned investment for phase 3, the two also discussed about the challenges and obstacles regarding procedures and processes to have more land funds to expand the manufacturing plant, along with taking measures to tackle the obstacles. Kim Hyun Ho also conveyed to the PPC Chairman that Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. belongs to South Korea's Kumho Tire Group and is currently ranked 10th in the car tyre manufacturing industry.

The company had invested in a tyre manufacturing plant in My Phuoc 3 Industrial Park in 2007 with a total initial investment of USD 308 million, which was supplemented by another USD 300 million in 2021. This extended the factory scale to six hectares and increased the production capacity to 12.5 million tyres annually. With the expansion in early 2025, the company will raise its total investment to USD 908 million and increase the factory's production capacity to 17 million tyres annually. The expanded capacity is expected to be operational by early 2026.

Yokohama-ATG, a leading manufacturer of all-terrain and off-the-road tyres, has expanded its Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range of forklift tyres with the launch of white, non-marking tyres.

The Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range consists of puncture-proof SDS tyres with extended wear limits designed for high-intensity working shifts and long durability. These are premium, solid rubber tyres developed for tough demands, a long service life and high driving comfort. The addition of white, non-marking tyres is specifically aimed at clean working environments.

Marked by a 3-stage construction process, the forklift tyres feature reduced heat build-up, effective shock absorption and minimised vibrations. The pattern design guarantees a smooth ride and good steerability thanks to its continuous centre lug and circumferential grooves. Furthermore, the flat walls and wide flat profile offer excellent stability when using a forklift for vertical stacking. The tyres are also equipped with anti-slip steel beads for improved rim fitment

In a case study on a CAT 2.5-tonne forklift that was used for handling heavy pallets on asphalt, the Galaxy MFS 101 SDS outshone the competitors with impressive performance. The tyre delivered an approximate 900 working hours before replacement against competitors’ 500 working hours.