Why Car Tyres Are Always Black: The Evolution and Science Behind It

We have always seen car tyres in black colour for years. But have you ever wondered why car tyres are always black in colour (Car Tyre Colour). Moreover, such tyres are used in all types of vehicles. But you will be surprised to know that earlier vehicle tyres used to be white too.

What was the colour of tyres earlier?

Around the year 1895, pneumatic tyres were used a lot. The colour of these tyres used to be white, because the colour of this rubber (Car Tyre Colour) was milky white. In a blog post by South Korean car manufacturer Kia, it has been told that the use of these white tyres was not considered good for long-term durability, due to which changes were made in the manufacturing of tyres.

Then came the era of carbon black

To increase the life of tyres and to make them stronger, soot was first added to the tyres (Car Tyre Colour). But after a few years, carbon black was used in place of soot to increase the strength of tyres. By mixing carbon black with rubber, the colour of the tyre automatically became black.

Strength to tyres from carbon black

Carbon black is a fine black powder, which provides strength to the tyres and also helps in creating grip on the road. Apart from this, carbon black also removes more heat from the tyres and also improves the stiffness and strength of the tyres (Car Tyre Colour). Without carbon black in rubber, the performance of the tyres is affected. Apart from this, the black colour of the tyres also helps the tyres to remain new for a longer time. On the other hand, if the colour of the tyres was white, then the tyre of the car would soon start looking ugly.