Tyres keep the world moving, but they come with a hidden environmental cost. As they wear, their constant friction on the road releases harmful particulate matter, a form of invisible air pollution especially dangerous in cities. Enter ENSO, the tyre technology company determined to change that.
The scale of the problem is staggering. With 1.5 billion vehicles on the world’s roads, tyres emit an estimated six million tonnes of pollution every year, more airborne particulate matter than all tailpipes combined. In London alone, 2.6 million vehicles shed an astonishing 9,000 tonnes of tyre dust each year. When inhaled, these micro-pollutants increase the risk of heart disease, asthma and other conditions.
The world needs electric vehicles. They help combat climate change and eliminate harmful tailpipe pollution. But every vehicle, including electric ones, runs on tyres that wear down and pollute the air.
ENSO, which means ‘circle’ in Japanese, was founded by entrepreneur Gunnlaugur “G” Erlendsson to address this problem. ENSO is on a mission to help EVs deliver on their promise. It provides better tyres for EVs, built to deliver more range and lower running costs, while reducing their environmental impact.
Designed specifically for the way EVs drive, ENSO’s tyres are engineered for higher durability and lower rolling resistance, cutting energy use and running costs per mile while remaining affordable, without compromising safety or performance.
ENSO first proved its approach in the London FreightLab trial, run with the Mayor of London and Transport for London, where its EV tyres cut particulate pollution by up to 35% and improved range by up to 10% against the tyres they replaced, the independent evidence behind ENSO’s Earthshot nomination. Today, ENSO’s Premium range for high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y carries the top A/A rating on the independent EU tyre label for energy efficiency and wet grip, meaning more range and greater safety.
Advancing tyre innovation is at the heart of ENSO’s mission, cutting a major source of air and microplastic pollution while improving the drive. ENSO is the world’s first tyre company certified as a B-Corporation, reflecting its wider commitment to environmental, social and governance standards.
Having moved from fleet trials to commercial products, ENSO’s tyres are fitted to London black cabs and delivery fleets, while its Premium range for Tesla and other high-performance EVs is available to UK drivers and planned for launch in the United States.
In 2024 ENSO entered a global strategic partnership with Uber. This was Uber’s first partnership with an Earthshot Prize Finalist, launching specially subsidised ENSO tyres for Uber’s high-mileage EV drivers in the UK. ENSO is proving that better-performing tyres can be better for both drivers and the planet, reinventing the wheel to make our air cleaner for all.
By 2030, we choose to ensure that, for the first time in human history, the natural world is growing – not shrinking – on our planet.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
By 2030 we choose to ensure that everyone in the world breathes clean, healthy air – at World Health Organization standard or better.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
By 2030, we choose to repair and preserve our oceans for future generations.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
By 2030, we choose to build a world where nothing goes to waste, where the leftovers of one process become the raw materials of the next – just like they do in nature.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
We choose to fix the world’s climate by cutting out carbon: building a carbon neutral economy that lets every culture, community and country thrive.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
