The Continental CrossContact Extreme E: probably the toughest tyre in the world

As the exclusive tyre supplier to the Extreme E race series, Continental has probably faced the toughest challenge that motorsport has ever conjured up for a set of tyres. We caught up with Philipp von Hirschheydt, Head of Continental’s Business Unit Replacement Tyres EMEA and Catarina Silva, Head of Product Management at Continental to talk about the tyre manufacturer’s motivation to embark on the Extreme E journey and what it took to develop what might well be the toughest tyre in the world.

XE: Philipp, first, how did the Continental and Extreme E relationship begin?

Philipp von Hirschheydt: Extreme E first approached Continental in the fall of 2018 in search of an experienced tyre developer and strategic partner. After listening to their idea, we were quick to recognise that the organisers’ vision fits in very well with our corporate philosophy. As a company, we are pursuing ambitious sustainability goals. But we are convinced that the focus should not only be on what we do ourselves. We also want to help create awareness in society about challenges related to sustainability.

At the same time, we value and foster diversity whenever we can: Many years ago, Continental set up numerous projects and programmes to offer all genders in the company equal opportunities and give them the same visibility. Accordingly, the aspect that each Extreme E driver team comprises one female and one male driver is a very important factor in the setup of Extreme E for us and made us want to be involved even more.

XE: Catarina, can you give us a quick insight into your job at Continental and how you became involved in Continental’s Extreme E project?

Catarina Silva: Sure! I head up the Product Management team responsible for our summer, off-road or 4x4 and van products for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We are in close contact with the production units and the development department on the one hand, and with the marketing and sales organisations of the European markets on the other. We receive the feedback regarding our products from all relevant sides and therefore serve as an important hub in internal communications.

Last year, I was additionally assigned the technical support team for the Off-road Tyres group. This involves the coordination of various projects, including the tyre development, service and various integrated technologies. Continental Tyres’ sustainability activities also formed part of this, including our commitment to the Extreme E racing series, which was already at an advanced stage at the time.

XE: What makes tyre development so important for this competition?

Catarina Silva: The ODYSSEY 21, with which all the teams line up on the grid, is truly an “electric monster” – developed for extreme accelerations and extreme speeds in extreme environments. The electric drive delivers the full output of around 550 hp almost without delay. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are racing situations in which the drivers can activate an additional speed boost, the so-called “HyperDrive.” Absolutely nothing compares with it. And this incredible power has to be transferred to the track one-to-one – during acceleration, overtaking, when cornering and, not least, during braking.

These aren’t high-speed oval tracks or courses on standard asphalt, these are five completely different climate zones with routes and surfaces that couldn’t be more different. This is “off the road” with all the associated difficulties and pitfalls. So, for this racing series to fly, it was crucial to develop a tyre that works – reliably and safely – under the most extreme racing conditions in five different regions of the Earth.

XE: How did you go about developing the tyre?

Catarina Silva: We understood this Extreme E competition tyre had to go beyond any passenger tyre that Continental had manufactured in the past. So, for the development, we first analysed the maximum performance and resilience of a number of proven high-performance products. We then opted for the CrossContact series as a point of reference as we took the process forward. The challenge from a technical angle was then to adapt the tread pattern, sidewall, compound materials and construction to the challenging demands of the very different Extreme E locations.

With the CrossContact Extreme E our team achieved a highly capable, one-size-fits-all solution, which – under extreme race conditions – can perfectly cope with the various surfaces and local and climate-related requirements.

XE: Philipp, you were mentioning that the Extreme E vision fits in very well with Continental’s philosophy. How do Continental and sustainability go together?

Philipp von Hirschheydt: Sustainability is anchored in the foundation of our values. It is an integral part of Continental’s corporate philosophy and, more specifically, our “Vision 2030” strategy program for the Tyres business area. Our goal is nothing less than to be the most progressive tyre company in terms of environmental and social responsibility. That’s why we relentlessly drive forward innovative technologies and sustainable solutions along our entire value chain. We continually invest in research and development to drive innovative technologies, alternative and sustainable materials, and environmentally friendly production processes.

The recycling of raw materials is one key to our sustainability strategy. By 2050 at the latest, we want to use 100 per cent sustainably produced materials in our tyre products. Our latest achievement in this context, for instance, is that we were able to announce that from 2022 onwards, we will be using reprocessed polyester obtained from recycled PET bottles in the production of our casings. With this, the conventional polyester can be completely replaced.

Together with our partner OTIZ, Oriental Industries (Suzhou) Ltd., we have developed a process in which the PET bottles can be recycled mechanically without any intermediate chemical steps. No chemicals are used in the process. With the use of recycled polyester yarn, we are taking another important step in the direction of cross-product circular economy.

XE: Catarina, what are your contact points with Continental’s sustainability activities in Product Management?

Catarina Silva: Because my team and I are responsible for product development for both the product roadmap and the portfolio planning, we provide the relevant roadmap to achieve it. As Philipp pointed out, sustainability is not just an empty word, it’s extremely important for the entire organisation and connected to very clear and ambitious goals and concrete paths we are following. By using recycled PET in the manufacturing process of our tyres, we are taking an important step.

But this is only the beginning, as for us waste is tomorrow’s production material and we see the model of the future in circular economy. That’s why we are working intensively and on a daily basis together with our Research & Development and Material Development departments to continuously define ever new approaches, possibilities, and recycling solutions. I am convinced we have exciting years ahead of us just around sustainability!

At a digital event in the run-up to the Extreme E race in Greenland, Continental gave an overview of its commitment to the racing series as well as the current sustainability projects of the Tyres business area. Please find the full recording here.