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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Tegeta Green Planet representatives met with Institute of Design students on 22 September for a practical workshop and discussion. The session focused on proper management of specific waste streams, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles and recycling processes, with particular emphasis on how these concepts intersect with the design discipline. Students gained insight into the complete journey such waste undertakes, from initial collection through to final treatment, with used tyre recycling receiving notable attention as an example of converting discarded materials into valuable new resources.

Rubber samples of varying sizes and colours, all produced from recycled tyres, were displayed during the workshop. These physical materials illustrated the direct connection between tyre recycling and design applications. Participants explored potential uses for recycled tyre materials in product development and examined how design contributes to transforming waste into items with both functional purpose and visual identity, creating new value in the process.

A practical assignment concluded the meeting, requiring students to develop a product concept utilising recycled tyre material and establish its complete identity. This task enables participants to merge their design expertise with authentic environmental challenges while discovering how discarded materials can serve as foundations for new product creation.

Tegeta Green Planet regards education and environmental awareness as essential components of its mission. The organisation regularly partners with academic institutions, disseminating information to young people about specific waste management, circular economy models and resource reuse. Through such collaborations with the Institute of Design, students receive opportunities to combine environmental engagement with hands-on creative experience.

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Goodyear is all set for the showdown at Fuji Speedway this weekend for the sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, equipping all 18 LMGT3 cars with the Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres . The Japanese venue ranks among the calendar’s fastest and most demanding circuits.

Its permanent-track straight measures 1.475 km, the longest of the season. That extended run from Turn 16 to Turn 1 allows front tyres to cool substantially before subsequent corners impose heavy lateral and longitudinal loads on the rear tyres, making temperature management critical over the six-hour race.

Every LMGT3 entrant will use the Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium compound, the same specification employed in the opening five rounds. It was engineered for a broad range of circuits and temperatures, suiting Fuji’s famously changeable conditions. Goodyear Racing Eagle Wet tyres remain available should rain arrive.

The Medium compound could enable single-stint strategies, prioritising performance from each set over multi-stint approaches, with Fuji’s relatively low wear potentially permitting extended runs when safety car or full course yellow periods make that advantageous. Tyre selection and pit timing gain added importance given swiftly shifting weather. Goodyear Racing Eagles also compete this weekend at Kansas Speedway in NASCAR, Rockingham Dragway in NHRA and Silverstone in the British Touring Car Championship.

Stephen Bickley, Goodyear Endurance Program Manager, said, “Fuji’s track surface is relatively smooth, meaning overall wear is comparatively low. This also means that managing heat and bringing the tyres up to temperature can be more difficult, particularly at the start of a stint. Teams need to get the tyres into their operating window quickly, and the quick warm-up characteristics of the Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium will help them do that.

“The weather can be a major factor at Fuji, so teams need to be prepared to react quickly. The wide operating window of the Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium gives drivers confidence across changing temperatures, while the Goodyear Racing Eagle Wet provides a solution should track running become affected by rain.”

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TyreSafe has entered a new partnership with South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, reinforcing joint efforts to prevent road casualties and enhance safety throughout the county. The fire and rescue service becomes part of a widening group of UK fire services collaborating with TyreSafe to highlight the dangers linked to illegal and poorly maintained tyres.

Under the arrangement, both organisations will pool expertise, resources and engagement opportunities to promote tyre safety among South Yorkshire road users. This work will be integrated into broader road safety initiatives. The partnership also builds on South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s existing role within the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership, where education, training and publicity are central to reducing casualties.

The collaboration comes amid a difficult road safety picture. In 2024, a total of 43 people died and 748 were seriously injured in South Yorkshire collisions, amounting to 791 killed or seriously injured casualties. Although this was lower than the 841 recorded in 2023, the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership acknowledges substantial progress is still needed to reach its Vision Zero goal.

Road traffic collisions remain a major operational demand for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, whose community risk work involves joint efforts to cut incident numbers and severity. Serious and fatal crashes occur on major routes linking Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley, and on higher-speed rural roads. Tyres are vital to the Safe System approach, as defects can impair braking, steering and control, raising the risk of serious incidents.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “Fire and rescue services see the consequences of serious road collisions first-hand. Their experience gives them a unique perspective on the importance of prevention, and that makes South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue an incredibly valuable partner for TyreSafe. South Yorkshire has a strong and established road safety partnership, with organisations already working together towards Vision Zero. We want to complement that work by making tyre safety a more visible part of the conversation around safer vehicles and safer roads. We’re delighted to welcome South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue to the growing number of fire and rescue services partnering with TyreSafe. By combining their frontline experience and local reach with our specialist knowledge of tyre safety, we have an opportunity to reach more drivers with simple, practical advice that could help prevent a serious collision.”

Robert Horne, Prevention & Intervention Officer for Barnsley, said, “We are pleased to be partnering with TyreSafe to strengthen the road safety work we already undertake with our partners across South Yorkshire. Our firefighters regularly attend road traffic collisions and see the devastating impact they can have on individuals, families and communities. Prevention is therefore a vital part of our role, and helping people understand the simple steps they can take to reduce risk is an important part of that work. Tyres are a critical safety component on every vehicle, yet they can easily be overlooked. Working with TyreSafe will help us reinforce that message and provide road users with practical information they can use to make sure their vehicles are safe and roadworthy.”

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Yokohama Rubber has become a participant in PROJECT TREE, a sustainability initiative launched by ITOCHU Corporation to advance the responsible sourcing of natural rubber. The programme relies on blockchain technology to create a traceable supply chain, and Yokohama Rubber has begun using rubber procured through this framework. On 25 September 2026, the company started supplying tyres for commercial vehicles operated by FamilyMart Co., Ltd. as project-supported products.

Natural rubber represents roughly 30 percent of tyre raw materials, while tyres account for about 70 percent of global consumption of the resource. Most of the world’s supply comes from smallholder farmers in nations such as Thailand and Indonesia. The tyre industry has responded with efforts spanning forest conservation, human rights safeguards, agricultural training and livelihood stabilisation. PROJECT TREE identifies sourcing regions and assists farmers through incentives from participating companies and training programmes.

Yokohama Rubber has pursued traceability through several channels. Its natural rubber processing subsidiary, Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., earned Chain of Custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council for responsible processing and distribution. The company also employs RubberWay Geo-Mapping as a risk assessment tool and is aligning its operations with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). For several years it has supported smallholder farmers in Thailand’s Surat Thani Province. Joining PROJECT TREE is expected to further reinforce supply chain transparency and supplier support.

As a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber revised its Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber in September 2021 and continues to strengthen collaboration with the platform. The company is also working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with the Yokohama Rubber Group promoting sustainable raw material procurement, including natural rubber, as part of that effort.

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