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.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has initiated the full-scale deployment of a proprietary generative artificial intelligence system, which became operational in August 2026. This advanced platform employs Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology to sift through the company’s extensive internal repository of technical documentation. The primary objective is to furnish development engineers with rapid and precise access to critical information, thereby streamlining decision-making processes in areas such as material innovation and tyre design.

This system represents a significant expansion of Yokohama Rubber’s existing HAICoLab AI framework, first established in October 2020. While the company had previously introduced AI tools for predicting rubber properties, generating novel compounds and assisting mould design, a persistent challenge remained in efficiently navigating the vast collection of regulatory texts, manuals, reports and case studies that constitute essential domain knowledge. The new generative AI system was developed specifically to address this gap, enabling swift retrieval of pertinent data aligned with specific development goals.

In practice, engineers pose questions tailored to their project’s specific context and the AI searches for the most relevant information from internal records to formulate its answers. To further refine accuracy, an integrated AI agent interprets the user’s intent and autonomously cycles through planning, information retrieval and evaluation steps. Moreover, the system provides direct links to the original source documents, allowing staff to confirm the validity of the AI-generated responses and incorporate them into their analytical and strategic work. This functionality effectively integrates accumulated technical knowledge into the HAICoLab-driven development environment.

Concurrent with these technological advancements, Yokohama Rubber is actively cultivating digital transformation personnel proficient in utilising the HAICoLab platform. The company remains committed to enhancing the system’s capabilities and leveraging its internal data and intellectual assets to foster the creation of innovative products, processes and services moving forward.

Linglong Tire has expanded its European summer tyre portfolio for light commercial vehicles with two new offerings under its subsidiary brands, Leao Tire and Crosswind Tire. Following the spring introduction of the Linglong Dura Master Van, the company has now launched the Crosswind Dura Peak Van and the Leao Nova-Force Van 2. This marks Crosswind's first entry into the summer van tyre segment, while the Nova-Force Van 2 succeeds its well-regarded predecessor.

Engineered specifically for vans, motorhomes and light trucks, both tyres emphasise durability, fuel efficiency and enhanced driving performance. Their new construction integrates optimised tread patterns and wider footprints to reduce wear and extend mileage. An innovative silica-based compound lowers rolling resistance for significant cost savings, a critical factor for commercial operators. The reinforced carcass supports heavy loads, while advanced sipe technology, combined with the tread compound, shortens wet braking distances and improves handling on both wet and dry surfaces.

Manufactured exclusively at Linglong's advanced facility in Zrenjanin, Serbia, each tyre line is available in 29 sizes ranging from 12 to 17 inches, with orders now being accepted. Development took place at the European Development Center in Hannover, with validation testing conducted at the Idiada circuit in Spain and the group's Sino Asia proving ground in China. These strategic choices underscore Linglong's commitment to European-quality engineering and rigorous performance standards for its commercial vehicle offerings.

Looking ahead, Linglong plans to complete the van tyre ranges for both Crosswind and Leao Tire with the introduction of new winter and all-season tread patterns scheduled for late 2026. This upcoming expansion will further solidify the group's comprehensive year-round coverage in the light commercial vehicle segment across its brand portfolio.

Wencheng Liu, Head of Product Management, Linglong Tire, said, "With the new Crosswind and Leao van tyres, we are expanding our range in the field of light commercial vehicles and offering a high-performance solution for both businesses and private households. Both tyres combine high mileage with safety and efficiency – crucial factors for cost-conscious families and entrepreneurs who use their vehicles on a daily basis."

India’s tyre exports rose 16 percent year on year to INR 77 billion in the first quarter of FY2026–27, despite geopolitical uncertainty, supply-chain disruptions and elevated input and logistics costs, according to the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA), citing data from the Ministry of Commerce.

The April–June performance builds on a record export value of INR 273.12 billion in FY2025–26, indicating sustained external demand for Indian-manufactured tyres.

Passenger car radial (PCR) tyres led the growth, with export value increasing 21 percent during the quarter.

Arun Mammen, Chairman of ATMA, said: “The significant growth in tyre exports during the first quarter represents a strong start to the new financial year. It reflects the growing acceptance of Indian-manufactured tyres across discerning global markets and the sustained investments made by the industry in technology, capacity, product development and quality.”

Europe was a key growth driver, with exports to the region rising 25 percent to INR 30.03 billion in the quarter, accounting for nearly 40 percent of total tyre exports. The US remained the single largest export destination, contributing 16 percent of overall export value. Indian tyres are exported to more than 170 countries.

India’s global presence is also supported by tyres supplied as original equipment on vehicles manufactured domestically and exported worldwide.

ATMA said improved market access through trade agreements and supportive export policies could help the industry sustain momentum and strengthen India’s position as a global tyre manufacturing and export hub.

The Indian Rubber Materials Research Institute (IRMRI) recently announced the appointment of Professor (Dr) Abhijit Bandyopadhyay as its new Director. In a tete-a-tete with Tyre Trends, he delves into his top priorities and IRMRI’s roadmap under his leadership.

What will be your top priorities as the new director of IRMRI?

I have a list of four priorities. The first is to transform IRMRI from a testing and certification centre into an innovation hub that integrates research, technology development, scale-up engineering, innovation and commercialisation for the tyre and non-tyre rubber industries. The second priority is developing technologies for EV tyres. While automakers are using lightweight polymer composites and foams to offset battery weight, advancing EV tyre technology will remain a key focus.

Thirdly, to undertake autonomous research that benefits industry beyond traditional rubber compounds, covering plastics, rubber-plastic blends, advanced polymer systems and other emerging materials. Finally, internationalise IRMRI by establishing MoUs with global industries and academic institutions.

Sustainability and circularity are becoming central themes across industries. How do they fit into your vision for IRMRI?

Sustainability should not be viewed as a separate objective; it must be embedded in every project we undertake. Every technology we develop should inherently follow sustainable principles. The introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has fundamentally changed the tyre industry’s responsibilities by making manufacturers accountable for the waste generated by their products.

This naturally increases the importance of reclaimed rubber, rubber crumb, recycling technologies and broader circular economy practices. Today, applications for reclaimed materials remain limited and expanding their use will become an important research area.

How will you strengthen collaboration between IRMRI, academia and industry?

IRMRI has always supported industry through its testing services but its contribution to research and development can become much stronger. At present, academia and industry operate with very different priorities. IRMRI is uniquely positioned to bridge this gap because it already has advanced facilities in Chennai, Thane and the Eastern Centre, with new centres coming up in Tripura and Delhi.

Building on existing collaborations at the Thane Centre, IRMRI should expand partnerships with universities, IITs and industry beyond rubber technology into areas such as mechanical engineering, machine design, sustainable rubber processing, simulation, modelling, artificial intelligence and other multidisciplinary fields to strengthen both its research capabilities and national stature.

What are the biggest challenges facing India’s rubber and tyre industry today?

The industry’s biggest challenge is sustainability, particularly recycling, devulcanisation and compliance with EPR. While significant progress has been made in developing rubber and polymer products across numerous industries, recycling remains a major technological hurdle.

The same challenge extends beyond rubber to composite materials. Although material development has advanced considerably, achieving efficient, commercially viable recyclability remains one of the industry’s greatest unresolved problems.

What do you expect to be the biggest challenges in your new role at IRMRI?

I have worked closely with industry for the past 16 years and almost all of my current research projects are industry-sponsored. I understand industrial expectations, priorities and ways of working, so adapting to the industry itself will not be difficult.

The real challenge will be transforming IRMRI from a testing institute into a research and innovation institute. Achieving this will require a clear roadmap, well-designed policies and systematic implementation with some trial and error along the way.

How do you see AI and digital technologies accelerating rubber materials research?

AI, simulation, modelling and digital engineering will become integral parts of IRMRI’s future development strategy rather than standalone initiatives. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally a form of data science. It involves developing computational models and predictive systems that help researchers analyse data more intelligently and efficiently.

Computation, simulation and modelling are becoming increasingly important. The tyre industry already relies heavily on these tools because modern tyre development would be almost impossible without them. However, the non-tyre rubber industry has not yet adopted them to the same extent. Simulation and modelling also contribute engineering efficiency, reducing development costs, optimise manpower deployment and enable better product design before physical prototypes are built.

How can IRMRI strengthen its testing capabilities to meet future industry requirements?

IRMRI already has strong testing facilities for existing technologies, but the rapid growth of electric vehicles makes specialised EV tyre testing an important priority.

We also need to evaluate whether current testing protocols adequately assess EV-specific requirements such as acoustic performance, vibration characteristics and other parameters beyond rolling resistance. Where gaps exist, IRMRI will develop new testing methodologies and standards tailored to EV tyres.

What emerging technologies and materials should IRMRI focus on in the coming years?

Sustainability and next-generation materials must be major priorities. As bio-composites and natural-material-based rubber products gain importance, standardised testing methods for many rubber-polymer bio-composites are still lacking. Developing reliable performance evaluation standards for these materials while strengthening capabilities in recycling, devulcanisation and circular economy technologies will help Indian manufacturers meet global quality standards.

Material innovations, particularly in solution-grade Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR), will also require advanced testing, reinforcing IRMRI’s vision of becoming an innovation-driven institute.

How can IRMRI help Indian manufacturers meet global quality standards?

Helping Indian manufacturers meet increasingly demanding global quality and performance standards begins with addressing the industry’s biggest technological challenges, which is recycling, devulcanisation and circular economy requirements. If IRMRI can develop technologies in these areas, it will benefit both the rubber and non-rubber industries.

As an NABL-accredited institution, IRMRI also has a unique advantage over most universities, whose testing and certifications, while technically credible, are generally not accepted for commercial compliance. Now that IRMRI has been recognised as an institute, it will strengthen its independent certification capabilities and establish itself as a nationally and internationally respected authority for testing and certification.

Does India need stronger collaborative testing programmes?

Yes. India needs a more structured ecosystem that brings together research institutes, OEMs, raw material suppliers, manufacturers, universities and IITs throughout testing and product development. IRMRI should become the platform that connects academia’s knowledge-driven research with industry’s application- and product-oriented approach, accelerating innovation.

Internationally, this model has proven successful through industry-sponsored academic programmes that create a continuous pipeline of research, skilled talent and commercial innovation. India has some examples of such collaborations, but they remain scattered and should be expanded significantly.

How do you plan to change the industry’s perception of IRMRI?

One of my biggest objectives is to fundamentally change how both the tyre and non-tyre industries perceive IRMRI. Today, the institute is primarily viewed as a testing laboratory. Testing will always remain an essential function, but I want IRMRI to be recognised as much more than that.

My vision is for IRMRI to become an innovation hub where research, technology development, product innovation, industrial problem-solving, scale-up engineering, commercialisation, multidisciplinary collaboration and advanced materials research all come together. Changing that perception will take time, but we will build that bridge eventually.

What opportunities do you see for retreading technology?

Retreading has enormous potential but also significant technical challenges because it involves bonding a new tread to an already vulcanised tyre. While unvulcanised rubber is naturally tacky, vulcanisation removes this property, making two vulcanised surfaces difficult to bond.

Strong adhesion requires roughening both surfaces for mechanical anchorage followed by specialised adhesives and carefully controlled processing. Since India’s retreading industry remains fragmented, advancing retreading technology will be a key focus, particularly for its sustainability and resource conservation benefits.

Looking ahead, what will define the success of IRMRI?

Success, in my view, will not be measured by the number of tests conducted or certifications issued but by whether IRMRI becomes an innovation-driven institute. That means undertaking autonomous research, developing industry-focused technologies, strengthening academia-industry collaboration and more.

Indian manufacturers compete globally. Ultimately, I want IRMRI to be recognised not just as a testing centre but as one of India’s leading innovation hubs for rubber, polymers, advanced materials and sustainable industrial technologies.