Continental's ZEvRA concept tire uses 43% recycled materials including recovered carbon black — a strong OEM signal for higher-value tire-derived materials.

Recovered Carbon Black

Continental has developed a concept tire containing around 43% recycled materials as part of the EU-funded ZEvRA project, which focuses on circularity in electric vehicles. ZEvRA stands for “Zero Emission Electric Vehicles Enabled by Harmonized Circularity” and brings together 28 partners, with Continental participating as the only tire manufacturer in the consortium.

The concept tire includes recycled tall oil, steel, rubber from end-of-life tires and polyester fibers made from recycled PET bottles. Continental also uses pyrolysis-related technologies to recover materials such as recovered carbon black, which has been used at its Korbach site in all newly produced solid rubber tires since 2023, primarily for forklift truck applications.

rCB replaces virgin carbon black

Recovered carbon black is one of the recycling solutions highlighted by Continental as already being used effectively. The material can help replace virgin carbon black in selected applications when quality, consistency and performance requirements are met. For the tire recycling sector, rCB is an important pathway for increasing the value of end-of-life tire processing.

Regulatory clarity needed for scale-up

Continental called for standard European definitions for recycled materials, clear criteria for when processed substances qualify as recycled raw materials, technological openness and further development of recycling infrastructure — signalling that industrial-scale use of recycled materials depends on reliable regulatory frameworks.

Learn More:

• Black Cat Carbon Engineering — China
• Sustainable rCB India — GBE
• rCB Equipment Systems — Japan
• Feasibility Studies

Meeting OEM Demand for Recovered Carbon Black

Continental’s 43% recycled concept tire is direct evidence that tire manufacturers are pulling recovered carbon black into production — the kind of demand that turns tire pyrolysis into a higher-margin business.

Klean Industries delivers the recovered carbon black plants and equipment that produce the consistent, high-quality rCB tire makers and industrial buyers require.

Ready to supply recovered carbon black to the growing OEM market?

Contact Klean Industries about recovered carbon black » GO.