Sumitomo’s new Enasave Next tire has 50% lower rolling resistance

In September, Sumitomo Rubber Industries launched a new flagship product for its Dunlop-brand Enasave series of fuel-efficient tires. The new tire, which is currently offered only in Japan, achieved an ‘AAA-a’ rank under the Japanese tire labeling program, the highest rating possible for rolling resistance and wet grip. Sumitomo says the new tire has 50% lower rolling resistance than the standard Japanese replacement market Dunlop tire that the company introduced in 2008, the year it set out to achieve this goal. Sumitomo met another of its long term goals in November 2013, when it introduced the Dunlop Enasave 100, an entirely fossil-free tire, at the Tokyo Motor Show.