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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Maxion Wheels, a division of Iochpe-Maxion and a global leader in wheel manufacturing, is playing a key role in bringing Daimler Truck’s vision for more sustainable commercial vehicle manufacturing to life through a collaborative effort on a concept refuse collection truck. This innovative vehicle will be showcased at IFAT Munich, the premier global gathering for the recycling and environmental sector taking place from 4 to 7 May 2026 at Trade Fair Center Messe München. Designed to highlight a commitment to circular materials, resource efficiency and forward-thinking industrial processes, the concept truck serves as a tangible demonstration of how the commercial vehicle sector can embrace environmentally responsible practices.

As the wheel supplier for this project, Maxion Wheels is translating its deep expertise in sustainability into direct action. The company is supplying steel truck wheels engineered through a combination of lightweight construction, optimised design strategies and advanced material science. By incorporating both primary and recycled materials into the manufacturing process, these wheels are specifically developed to help reduce emissions and lower the overall carbon footprint of the vehicle, reinforcing the project’s broader goals of environmental stewardship and industrial innovation.

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Hankook Tire marked the conclusion of TGL presented by SoFi Season 2 as the league’s inaugural Official Tire Partner and a Founding Partner. The championship event was held on 23–24 March 2026 at Florida’s SoFi Center. Throughout the season, Hankook Tire leveraged the platform to elevate its premium brand presence across roughly 150 countries. This initiative directly reflects Chairman Hyunbum Cho’s vision of uniting mobility and sports through technological innovation, allowing Hankook to deliver a fresh and engaging brand experience to fans worldwide.

The championship itself was a best-of-three clash between two first-time finalists, Jupiter Links GC and Los Angeles Golf Club. In the opening match on 23 March, Los Angeles secured a dramatic one-point comeback win, highlighted by Sahith Theegala’s strategic use of ‘THE HAMMER’ on the 15th hole to claim two crucial points after his team had fallen behind. The following day, Los Angeles continued their momentum. Although Jupiter Links initially surged ahead behind Tiger Woods, the opposition quickly levelled the score and then reeled off four straight points. A pivotal 10th hole saw both teams activate ‘THE HAMMER’ for a maximum three-point swing, with Justin Rose defeating Max Homa to help seal a 9–2 victory and lift the SoFi Cup.

With Los Angeles Golf Club crowned champions, TGL’s Season 2 drew to a dramatic close. Looking ahead to Season 3, the league will expand to seven teams with the addition of Motor City Golf Club based in Detroit, furthering its ambition to build a premier global stage for team golf competition.

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Tyrecycle recently joined Fenner Conveyors in celebrating the opening of the K‑MIX Materials Innovation Hub in Kwinana, Western Australia, marking a significant advancement for sustainable materials innovation nationally.

For Tyrecycle, the event’s focal point was the unveiling of Fenner’s InfinitySeries, the first conveyor belt manufactured using locally sourced recycled material stemming from the pair’s strategic partnership. During the launch, Tyrecycle welcomed mining community members to its East Rockingham facility for guided tours of its recycling operations, demonstrating the processing of old conveyor belts, off‑the‑road (OTR) tyres and passenger tyres into high‑value reusable materials for local supply chains.

This collaboration represents a pioneering closed‑loop ecosystem, transforming end‑of‑life conveyor belts into new, high‑performance products that support mining operations in achieving decarbonisation and circularity objectives. Tyrecycle expressed pride in standing alongside Fenner Conveyors to continue developing sustainable pathways for the mining sector and beyond.

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Pirelli was named ‘Supplier of the Year’ at the Hyundai Motor Group Global Supplier Day, an accolade recognising its superior product quality, effective supply chain management and strong overall collaboration. This distinction reflects the company’s ability to meet high standards across multiple operational fronts.

Amid industry-wide shifts and persistent supply chain disruptions, Pirelli has ensured production stability for Hyundai through forward-looking supply strategies and a globally integrated factory network. By capitalising on the strategic positioning of its Asian plants, Pirelli has aligned closely with Hyundai’s manufacturing footprint, delivering agile support that strengthens their global partnership. This operational synergy has been key to maintaining continuity and responsiveness.

Deep technical collaboration is evident in their latest vehicle launches. The Genesis GV60 Magma and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N are both fitted with Pirelli’s advanced P Zero tyres, incorporating PNCS and ELECT technologies. Developed in 2019 for electrified vehicles, ELECT has since earned over 800 original equipment approvals, underscoring its role in helping Hyundai models achieve optimal performance in the electric era. This award represents a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership, reaffirming a shared dedication to innovation and excellence.

Mattia Bussacchini, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Pirelli, said, "We are truly honoured to receive this prestigious recognition from Hyundai Motor Group. This award fully affirms the strong collaboration between our teams and reflects Hyundai's high recognition of Pirelli's products and services. We look forward to continuing to deepen our cooperation with Hyundai and exploring new opportunities to drive mutual growth.”

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