Periodic Reporting for period 2 - reinventing the tyre (A disruptive innovation improving functionality, increasing product life span and removing the need for tyre change through a patented modular tyre system.)
Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2020-01-31
Tyres are critical to the overall performance of your vehicle and play a vital role to your safety. Your experience is in many cases directly governed by the quality of your tyres and the grip they provide. Yet the majority of the 220 million European bicycle users rarely consider their tyres in relation to road condition or weather. Millions of wheelchair users don’t have the option to change their tyres. We change our footwear in accordance to the immediate conditions and needs, and the amazing market feedback and sales numbers from the launch of reTyre have proven that this is also something we want for our tyres.
Problem/Issue being adressed:
1. Difficulty to change the tyre
Tyres are today inherently difficult to change. This is a key fact for users of bicycles, motorcycles and scooters, resulting in suboptimal performance such as low grip and traction, or high rolling resistance. For users of wheelchairs, strollers and rollators the tyres often cannot be changed at all, forcing these users to involuntary immobility during icy, snowy or otherwise difficult road conditions.
2. Rapidly changing road conditions affect the riding experience
Rapidly changing weather and road conditions, especially during seasonal changes, increases the problem with maintaining optimal grip and function. When cycling in late autumn and early spring the challenge of sudden ice leaves the biking community without any adequate solution for quick adaptation. For four-wheel vehicles this is not critical due to high level of protection, but for two-wheel vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles, correct grip is crucial for safety.
3. Unsustainable rubber consumption for bicycle tyres
It is very unfortunate, both environmentally and economically, that conventional tyres consume an unsustainable amount of rubber in the industry as huge amounts of tyres are discarded when the thread pattern is worn out. The tread of the tyre is what gives the vehicle grip and functionality, which means that discarding the whole tyre represent an unnecessary waste of rubber.
Increased use of bicycles as means of transportation is a major global macro trend and the timing for our innovation is ideal. Massive increase in sales of winter tyres in Europe show how major investments into infrastructure has increased all-year biking, and the international tyre industry have reported an average annual growth of 6% over the last five years well above industry standards. Cyclists adapt quickly to new technology and play a key role in achieving a sustainable urban environment. Our innovation is aligned with EU priorities for easily scalable and profitable initiatives towards greener urban transportation as it promotes increased year-round use of bicycles. reTyre is an internationally scalable way to facilitate cycling, improve mobility for elderly and wheelchair users and increase security for scooter and motorcycle users.
Overall objectives:
- Development, manufacturing and testing of reTyre System - Achieving industrial readiness
- Global commercialization
Problem/Issue being adressed:
1. Difficulty to change the tyre
Tyres are today inherently difficult to change. This is a key fact for users of bicycles, motorcycles and scooters, resulting in suboptimal performance such as low grip and traction, or high rolling resistance. For users of wheelchairs, strollers and rollators the tyres often cannot be changed at all, forcing these users to involuntary immobility during icy, snowy or otherwise difficult road conditions.
2. Rapidly changing road conditions affect the riding experience
Rapidly changing weather and road conditions, especially during seasonal changes, increases the problem with maintaining optimal grip and function. When cycling in late autumn and early spring the challenge of sudden ice leaves the biking community without any adequate solution for quick adaptation. For four-wheel vehicles this is not critical due to high level of protection, but for two-wheel vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles, correct grip is crucial for safety.
3. Unsustainable rubber consumption for bicycle tyres
It is very unfortunate, both environmentally and economically, that conventional tyres consume an unsustainable amount of rubber in the industry as huge amounts of tyres are discarded when the thread pattern is worn out. The tread of the tyre is what gives the vehicle grip and functionality, which means that discarding the whole tyre represent an unnecessary waste of rubber.
Increased use of bicycles as means of transportation is a major global macro trend and the timing for our innovation is ideal. Massive increase in sales of winter tyres in Europe show how major investments into infrastructure has increased all-year biking, and the international tyre industry have reported an average annual growth of 6% over the last five years well above industry standards. Cyclists adapt quickly to new technology and play a key role in achieving a sustainable urban environment. Our innovation is aligned with EU priorities for easily scalable and profitable initiatives towards greener urban transportation as it promotes increased year-round use of bicycles. reTyre is an internationally scalable way to facilitate cycling, improve mobility for elderly and wheelchair users and increase security for scooter and motorcycle users.
Overall objectives:
- Development, manufacturing and testing of reTyre System - Achieving industrial readiness
- Global commercialization
The reTyre Mission:
To revolutionize how we use and manufacture tyres through our modular tyre system. Directly facilitating the shift towards sustainable urban commuting by making biking easier and safer, improving mobility for walking impaired and increasing safety for motorcycles and scooters.
Work performed from the beginning of the project:
- Partial finalization of the development of reTyre System. Through the associated activities, the functional, material and design characteristics of the product has been defined and developed to the highest of standards, soon resulting in fully functional products in accordance with market and user demand.
- Through associated activities, dissemination and exploitation of the reTyre technology, brand and efforts has been undertaken to prepare the commercialization of reTyre System
Main result: Great progress in the development and production preparations, significant progress in market acceptance
To revolutionize how we use and manufacture tyres through our modular tyre system. Directly facilitating the shift towards sustainable urban commuting by making biking easier and safer, improving mobility for walking impaired and increasing safety for motorcycles and scooters.
Work performed from the beginning of the project:
- Partial finalization of the development of reTyre System. Through the associated activities, the functional, material and design characteristics of the product has been defined and developed to the highest of standards, soon resulting in fully functional products in accordance with market and user demand.
- Through associated activities, dissemination and exploitation of the reTyre technology, brand and efforts has been undertaken to prepare the commercialization of reTyre System
Main result: Great progress in the development and production preparations, significant progress in market acceptance
Progress beyond the state of art:
- The further development of the patented zipper system and modular tyre system
Expected results:
Expected outcome: Achieved industrial readiness for reTyre System. Demonstration and commercialisation of reTyre System in many European countries.
Potential impacts:
We strongly believe that the reTyre concept could impose a paradigm shift in the tyre industry, and that reTyre has a strong market opportunity with its tailored solutions for multiple market segments. With the overwhelming interest we already have received from governmental organizations, major European sports retailers, potential business customers, and of course the end users, we project a strong growth forwards and is thus a lucrative investment object for both public and private investors.
- The further development of the patented zipper system and modular tyre system
Expected results:
Expected outcome: Achieved industrial readiness for reTyre System. Demonstration and commercialisation of reTyre System in many European countries.
Potential impacts:
We strongly believe that the reTyre concept could impose a paradigm shift in the tyre industry, and that reTyre has a strong market opportunity with its tailored solutions for multiple market segments. With the overwhelming interest we already have received from governmental organizations, major European sports retailers, potential business customers, and of course the end users, we project a strong growth forwards and is thus a lucrative investment object for both public and private investors.