Each time you go to a tyre shop or a gas station to top up the tyre pressure in your vehicle’s tyres, what the attendant fills into the tyre is normal compressed air. But what exactly does compressed air contain? Compressed air is made up of 78% nitrogen, about 20-21% oxygen, and the balance one percent consists of CO2, and tiny concentrations of gases such as neon, argon and water vapour.

 When you specifically fill nitrogen gas into the vehicle's tyres, then you should have 100% dry nitrogen in your tyre. Dry nitrogen denotes that no        moisture content or any other gases are present in the tyre.

 Jay Chakraborty, who recently bought a second hand car, says, “After I bought my car, I changed the tyres and I’ve heard so many people talk about  how good nitrogen has been for them that I decided to get my new tyres filled with nitrogen air. The car feels a lot better on bumpy roads, and I don’t  have to worry about checking tyre pressure every week.”

Benefits of nitrogen Vs compressed air

Nitrogen as a gas is made up of big molecules, whereas oxygen molecules are much smaller in size compared to nitrogen molecules. When compressed air is put into a vehicle’s tyres, the moisture in the tyre seeps through the rubber over time and evaporates quicker as its molecules are smaller in size. But as nitrogen molecules are bigger in size, they do not permeate the tyres rubber so easily and hence will stay in the tyre for a longer duration. This means that your vehicle’s tyres will lose less pressure over time compared to regular compressed air filled tyres.

For example: An inactive vehicle, whose tyres are filled with normal compressed air will lose tyre pressure every week. But a 100% nitrogen-filled tyre will lose tyre pressure a lot slower and won’t need to be topped up as frequently. 

Titus Remedios, “I filled nitrogen in the new tyres that  I purchased for my Maruti Ecco in June 2019. That time the tyre pressure filled with nitrogen was 35Psi. I use the car once a week and after the lockdown, the car hadn’t been used in months. I recently went back in October 2020 to the place where I had filled the nitrogen in the car tyres and the tyre pressure after 14 months had only dropped to 22Psi. .

Another point to note, nitrogen filled tyres get a green or blue colour valve cap. This is a universal symbol that your vehicle's tyres are filled with nitrogen and not compressed air.

Is Nitrogen right for you?

Over-inflation and under inflation of tyres make a major difference on the race track. But on your normal city road does it make a huge difference? Under-inflated tyres normally lead to less mileage, uneven wear on the tyre treads and more tyre wear and tear overall. Over inflated tyres run the risk of burning out the contact patch on the tyre too quickly, while adding more bounce vs grip to a vehicle's stability. In hot climate conditions, your vehicle's tyre pressure can jump up tremendously. Highway running speeds coupled with a harsh sun beating down, can lead to a  tear in the tyre or in extreme conditions, a tyre bursting. This is where nitrogen-filled tyres shine the most. Due to their molecular build, nitrogen molecules stay at a constant temperature in a tyre. So even if the temperature outside decreases or increases, the nirotgen in the tyre will remain the same. That is why race cars and racing motorcycles only use 100% nitrogen in their tyres all the time.

Now we are all not professional racers, but we do commute on a daily basis and even go for the occasional weekend drive out of the city for some sightseeing and relaxation. Will filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyre help you? There are many who swear by nitrogen-filled tyres and an equal amount who feel that regular compressed air works just fine.

Personal tyre maintenance

If you are someone who keeps a check on the vehicles tyre pressure weekly and tops up the air when needed, you won’t need nitrogen filled into your vehicles tyre. However, if you are someone who tops air pressure once a month or once in two months, then filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyres will help you reap the benefits of it. If you constantly make long highway trips and most of your time is spent behind the wheel, then filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyres will be a boon.

Yash Ramrakhyani from Palghar runs a big tyre shop which sells Apollo, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and Yokohama tyres for every vehicle from a scooter to a heavy duty tempo. He says, “I get an average of 300 customers a year who want nitrogen filled in their vehicle’s tyres. There was a big local demand in the area for nitrogen-filled tyres, hence my father and me invested in the nitrogen unit. Tyres don't get hot, and nitrogen level doesn't go down so fast is what I have heard from customers as feedback, but the fact that people think nitrogen levels in the tyre doesn't go down is false. Even nitrogen-filled tyres have to be checked for tyre pressure once a month.

Nitrogen myths busted

Myth 1: Your vehicle's mileage will increase.

Truth: Your vehicle’s mileage depends on a lot of factors, tyres being just one small part of that equation. Having nitrogen filled tyres only gives you the benefit of having a most constant tyre pressure. However compressed air and nitrogen filled tyres both will loose pressure after a certain amount of time.

Myth 2: Your vehicle's comfort will be better, it will be soft on bumps.

Truth: Compressed air or nitrogen filled tyres will react the same way when on bumpy roads. It is the rubber compound and the type of tyres that you have that will make a difference in the ride or drive quality. As long as you maintain the right air pressure in your vehicle's tyres, you’ll be good.

Myth 3: You won’t have to fill up the tyre pressure as frequently.

Truth: Well this is true. Nitrogen-filled tyres will retain the pressure in your vehicle's tyre for a longer time duration compared to tyres filled with compressed air. However, even nitrogen-filled tyres loose pressure over time and you have to get the pressure checked and topped up from time to time.

Myth 4: Your vehicle's tyre will last longer

Truth: The tyre on your vehicle rely on you to make sure you maintain the recommended air pressure inorder for it to do its job properly. Under inflated and over inflated tyres will wear out faster when compared to tyres that have been properly maintained.

Myth 5: The rims on your vehicle won't rust

Truth: There is some amount of truth in this. As nitrogen-filled tyres contain less or no water vapour, the moisture content in the tyre is less. Less moisture equals to less rust on the inside of the wheel. But that doesn’t stop the rest of the wheel from rusting due to everyday washing and climate conditions.

Myth 6: There are few tyre shops / fuel pumps that offer nitrogen.

Truth: Compressed air is mostly nitrogen gas. So even if you have nitrogen-filled tyres, but you’re running low on tyre pressure and there’s no nitrogen filling station around, you can still fill normal compressed air. It will not have any major impact on your vehicle's tyres. Maintaining the right tyre pressure is key.

The catch

The nitrogen that you get filled in your vehicle's tyres is not a 100% or even 99% pure nitrogen. A brand new or even an old tyre once deflated has some amount of air inside it. It is the atmospheric air that's already there all around us. So unless you drain all the air in the tyre out and refill it nitrogen and drain the tyre again 2-3 times, you’ll still be running your vehicle's tyres with 90% nitrogen and not 100% nitrogen. But even then you’re not guaranteed that your vehicle's tyres will be filled with 100% pure nitrogen. There is no way to measure how much nitrogen is there in your vehicle’s tyre. Nitrogen will cost you, whereas compressed air is free at most petrol pumps or Rs.1-2 at a tyre shop. Nitrogen costs on the other hand vary from place to place and the kind of machine they have. The machines that are at the tyre shops or petrol pumps that offer nitrogen, do not deliver pure 100% nitrogen! Some machines will have a percentage rating of how much nitrogen it provides to the tyre and some have no percentage levels at all. Filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyres can cost you anywhere from Rs.150 for four tyres to Rs.50 per tyre and can go all the way up to Rs.1,500 for a set of four tyres.

Conclusion

Have you ever noticed that vehicle manufactureres never recommend nitrogen in their manuals or at their service centers. The reason behind this is your vehicle's tyres are manufactured to run on normal compressed air. As long as you maintain the right tyre pressure in your vehicle’s tyre, you’ll be fine.

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Dunlop will continue as the exclusive tyre supplier to the FIM Endurance World Cup Superstock and FIM Production World Trophy classes through the end of the 2029 season. The three-year extension with Endurance Moto Promoter, promoter of the FIM Endurance World Championship, preserves a role Dunlop has filled in Superstock since 2022 and in Production since that category's 2025 debut.

The agreement also maintains Dunlop's position as an Official Partner of the FIM EWC, a relationship that began in 2016. Teams across both classes will keep using the Dunlop KR slick range, receiving consistent performance, reliability and technical support whatever their size. Since 2022, the manufacturer has aided the steady progress of both grids in performance and competitive depth.

In the Formula EWC, where tyre choice stays open to all manufacturers, Dunlop will keep collaborating closely with several leading teams. It remains the most successful tyre brand in Championship history. The 2027 season opens with the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, France, from 8 to 11 April 2027.

Wim Van Achter, Motorcycle Motorsport Manager EMEA, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “We are honoured to continue our partnership with the FIM Endurance World Championship and EMP as the exclusive tyre supplier for the Superstock and Production classes. EWC is a valuable arena for the active development of Dunlop’s KR racing tyres, which are available on the market for racers and track day riders. This partnership represents a stamp of approval for our tyres and a further incentive to continue developing the next generation of the Dunlop KR racing range in one of the most competitive racing environments.”

Claude Michy, President, Endurance Moto Promoter, said, “We are delighted to continue the longstanding partnership between the FIM EWC World Championship and Dunlop as the sole tyre manufacturer for the Superstock and Production classes. Endurance racing is a discipline that demands performance but also great consistency and complete trust between the teams and their technical partners. Dunlop has unique expertise and experience in this field and has always demonstrated its ability to meet the particularly high standards of the FIM EWC World Championship. This renewal reflects the quality of our collaboration and our shared commitment to keep promoting the championship. Above all, the main goal is to continue supporting the Superstock and Production teams as well as possible, thanks to a new allocation system.”

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Hankook Tire has earned 11 podium placements in the 2026 WhatTyre Awards, marking its sixth straight year of recognition at the UK-focused honours. The awards, run by a specialist tyre news and comparison platform, spotlight leading products available to British motorists and rely on a scoring algorithm to rank top performers across the market.

The company’s 2026 haul includes three category victories, two Highly Recommended mentions and six Commended awards, reflecting the breadth of its portfolio and its emphasis on performance, safety and innovation. Its Ventus evo tyre retained the Performance of the Year title for a second consecutive year, with design features including an AI-assisted mixing process, extra-rigid sidewalls and tread blocks and low rolling resistance.

The Ventus evo’s latest honour follows strong showings in the 2026 Auto Bild summer tyre test, where it competed against 50 rival products, and the Auto Bild Allrad tyre test, which featured nine competing tyres. Hankook’s electric vehicle range also drew attention, with the iON evo named Electric Car Tyre of the Year for a third straight year after wins in 2024 and 2025, while the iON FlexClimate received a Commended award in the same category.

Recognition extended across SUV, summer, all-season, winter and super-sport segments. The iON evo SUV won SUV Tyre of the Year, the Ventus Prime4 was Highly Recommended in the Summer Tyre of the Year category, and the iON FlexClimate SUV earned Highly Recommended status among all-season SUV tyres. Commended awards went to the Ventus S1 evo Z in the super-sport category and the Kinergy 4S2 among all-season tyres.

Winter products also featured, with the Winter icept RS3 commended in the Winter Tyre of the Year category and both the Winter icept evo3 and Winter i*cept evo3 X recognised among winter performance tyres. The 11 awards across multiple segments underscore the strength and diversity of Hankook’s UK range, from sports and premium summer tyres to dedicated EV, SUV, all-season and winter solutions.

Complete list of winning tyres from Hankook:

1. Winner – Performance Tyre of the Year: Hankook Ventus evo
2. Winner – SUV Tyre of the Year: Hankook iON evo SUV
3. Winner – Electric Car Tyre of the Year: Hankook iON evo
4. Highly Recommended – Summer Tyre of the Year: Hankook Ventus Prime4
5. Highly Recommended – All-Season SUV Tyre of the Year: Hankook iON FlexClimate SUV
6. Commended – Super-sport Tyre of the Year: Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z
7. Commended – All- Season Tyre of the Year: Hankook Kinergy 4S2
8. Commended – Winter Tyre of the Year: Hankook Winter i*cept RS3
9. Commended – Winter Performance Tyre of the Year: Hankook Winter i*cept evo3
10. Commended – Winter Performance Tyre of the Year: Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 X
11. Commended – Electric Car Tyre of the Year: Hankook iON FlexClimate

Chris Anthony, Managing Director at Tyres & Accessories, Tyrepress and WhatTyre, said, “With 11 tyres winning, being highly recommended or commended in the 2026 WhatTyre Tyre of the Year awards, Hankook is arguably the most successful tyre manufacturing this time round. With hundreds of thousands of tyres in our database and multiple tyre manufacturers competing, that result is a significant achievement – that fact that Hankook's recognition takes place across range of categories that includes everything from all-season SUV tyres to super-sport tyres only serves to underline the point.”

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Maxion Wheels is celebrating a Guinness World Record set by Rainer Zietlow and the Challenge4 team, which it sponsors, for visiting the most countries in a continuous journey by a battery-powered electric vehicle. The team returned to Hannover, Germany, after 441 days, having covered 99,767 kilometres across 92 countries and six continents in a fully electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz fitted with Maxion light vehicle steel wheels.

The expedition commenced on 1 July 2025 at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ headquarters in Hannover. It traversed major cities, remote regions, deserts, mountains and varied climate zones. The vehicle relied on Maxion’s 18-inch passenger car steel wheels, produced at the company’s plants in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and Manisa, Türkiye.

The achievement underscores the growing viability of electric mobility worldwide and the durability, reliability and sustainability of modern steel wheel technology under extreme real-world conditions. It also provided Maxion with a chance to engage employees, customers and industry stakeholders in the automotive transformation debate, as the Challenge4 team visited Maxion facilities in South Africa, United States, Mexico and Brazil.

The journey reinforces Maxion’s Look Again campaign, which promotes steel wheels’ continued relevance for electric mobility through durability, affordability, design flexibility and sustainability. This is the second Guinness World Record project backed by Maxion Wheels, following the 2022 Challenge4 expedition that reached the summit of Bolivia’s Uturuncu volcano in a Volkswagen ID.4 GTX, setting a record for the highest altitude attained by an electric vehicle.

Colleen York, Director of Global Marketing and Communications, Maxion Wheels, Iochpe-Maxion, said, “The transition to electric mobility is creating new demands for vehicle components, and wheels have an important role to play in that evolution. This world record put a series-production electric vehicle through nearly 100,000 kilometres of the most demanding driving conditions imaginable across six continents and 92 countries without a single technical breakdown. We are proud that Maxion steel wheels were part of that achievement, demonstrating the durability and reliability required to support the next generation of electric vehicles. The expedition also provided a powerful platform to increase awareness of the Maxion Wheels brand among audiences around the globe through a story of innovation, endurance and possibility.”

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Michelin has secured a significant expansion of its partnership with the DHL Group, taking over complete tyre management for 11,000 new all-electric delivery vehicles from the DHL’s Post & Paket Deutschland division. This brings the total number of DHL vehicles under Michelin’s care to 45,000 across more than 2,000 locations, covering a substantial portion of the German last-mile fleet operated by the world’s largest logistics company. The newly signed contract, valued in the mid-double-digit million range, extends for up to 12 years and deepens a collaboration that has lasted 14 years.

Under the arrangement, Michelin oversees the entire tyre lifecycle for the 45,000-vehicle Post & Parcel fleet in Germany, which consists mainly of vans and passenger cars alongside some trucks supplying parcel centres. Services encompass tyre assembly, seasonal switching between year-round and winter tyres, mobile breakdown assistance and comprehensive wear management. Michelin expects roughly 70,000 tyres to be changed annually, about 20,000 service operations and some 6,000 roadside assistance calls, each with a reliable two-hour response commitment.

To handle this volume, every vehicle is clearly identifiable, allowing Michelin to immediately determine the required tyre type when a breakdown or wear limit is reported and resolve the issue on site swiftly. The company deploys its MICHELIN Agilis CrossClimate all-season tyre and the MICHELIN Agilis Alpin for winter road conditions. A nationwide network delivers the service promise, with Euromaster managing DHL locations alongside more than 220 additional partners, while Michelin staff across Germany monitor quality from urban parcel centres to rural delivery bases.

The outsourced tyre management keeps Deutsche Post and DHL’s German fleet reliably operational, letting the logistics group focus on its core business. Michelin impressed DHL with a competitive tender offer and an innovative overall concept, including a more transparent cost structure and simplified processes for tyre management and roadside assistance. This major order for networked fleet solutions strengthens Michelin’s standing as a high-performance partner for large delivery and parcel services, particularly in the growing electric delivery fleet segment.

Eva Tschan, Director Connected Solutions DACH and Nordics at Michelin, said, “DHL Group assigns us complete responsibility for tyre management on the last mile in Germany and thus for the most critical part of the daily letter and parcel delivery. We completely take the work of our customer around the topic of tyres and ensure that the feed fleet stays on the road – reliably, predictable and efficient. Our aspiration is to make the complex topic of tyre management for the postal and parcel Germany division as simple and transparent as possible.”

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