Black tires have become the standard, but the very first rubber tires were white. How did white become black?
Have you ever noticed that almost all tires are black? And while it seems practical (dirt is less visible), the reason is actually much more interesting.
Initially, tires were made from natural rubber, and they were… white! Yes, imagine a car on snow-white wheels. But such tires had a major disadvantage — they wore out quickly.
Manufacturers were looking for a way to make them more durable, and the solution was found in carbon black (or simply put, soot).
This black powder, derived from petroleum products, not only colors the rubber but also makes it much stronger. Without it, tires would wear out after a few thousand kilometers, but with it, they last for years.
Protection from the sun — UV rays destroy rubber, and black color blocks harmful rays.
Conductivity — eliminates static electricity that could shock you when exiting the car.
Heat resistance — in summer, tires won't melt on the hot asphalt.
There were such! In the 1930s, Ford produced tires with white sidewalls — whitewalls. They looked stylish but got dirty quickly and wore out. Today, colored tires are more of an exotic, custom-made for retro cars or tuning.
A modern tire — it's not just rubber with carbon black. It contains:
According to Auto30, the black color of tires is not a coincidence but the result of engineering calculations. Without carbon black, we would have to change tires every season. So next time, looking at your car's wheels, remember: their color is not just design, but a real technological breakthrough.