30/06/2025
Goodyear's involvement in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship is accelerating the transition to greener energy solutions, with innovations tested on the track today becoming the fleet solutions of tomorrow.
Behind the spectacle of the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC) lies a critical testing ground for sustainable energy solutions that are transforming commercial transport. Let’s look at what that means for fleet managers.
You can read how Goodyear’s involvement with the FIA ETRC is already shaping tyre technology in our first ‘Racetrack to road’ blog.
The ETRC made history as the first motorsport series to transition all competing trucks to 100% sustainable HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) diesel, reducing carbon emissions by up to 90% while maintaining competitive performance.
The racing circuit is an intensive testing environment where sustainable fuels prove their worth under the most demanding conditions. When these fuels perform reliably in racing, they demonstrate potential for wider commercial applications.
HVO diesel requires no vehicle modifications, making it an immediate solution for existing fleets. Its higher cetane rating results in cleaner combustion and potentially longer engine life, key factors for fleet managers balancing sustainability with operational costs.
While HVO diesel is well known as a sustainable fuel in racing, hydrogen is emerging rapidly as a fuel source for the future. In 2023, an official FIA hydrogen working group was established, with the ETRC playing a key role.
"Our goal is to establish the Goodyear FIA ETRC as a leading platform for sustainable technologies in the commercial vehicle sector," said Georg Fuchs, Managing Director of ETRA. "Hydrogen holds immense potential and through collaboration, we aim to develop innovative vehicle concepts that will benefit both motorsport and road transportation."
Hydrogen offers compelling advantages for innovative fleet managers, including rapid refuelling potential compared to electric solutions, zero emission production, and equivalent mileage ranges to diesel vehicles.
The Goodyear FIA ETRC demonstrates that the future of commercial transport isn't limited to a single solution. Beyond HVO and hydrogen, the ETRC’s pace truck runs entirely on Bio-LNG, showcasing yet another sustainable fuel option on the track.
As these solutions are developed at the highest level of truck racing, the potential for adoption at the fleet level grows.
Thanks to Goodyear’s involvement as lead sponsor of the ETRC, fleet managers can benefit from guidance on selecting optimal tyre configurations to match new energy sources. Like the EQMAX Range, tyres with added versatility that simplify tyre management across drivelines.
As the ETRC progresses toward its goal of net-zero emissions by 2038, the innovations tested on the track provide fleet managers with a preview of tomorrow's transport solutions.
A close alignment between racing technology and commercial transport creates an effective pathway for innovation transfer, making the championship a valuable proving ground for solutions that will define the future of transport.
Through this unique racing partnership, Goodyear continues to support fleets with tyres, solutions, and knowledge that help increase sustainability and lower operating costs.
*Goodyear defines sustainable material as a bio-based (defined as material of biological origin (Source: ISO 14021)); renewable; or recycled (defined as material that has been reprocessed from recovered [reclaimed] material (Source: ISO 14021)) material; or one produced using or contributing to other practices designed to promote resource conservation and/or emissions reductions, including ISCC PLUS mass-balance (defined as a certification verifying our capability to track the amount and sustainability characteristics of circular and/or bio-based material in the value chain and attribute it based on verifiable bookkeeping (Source: www.iscc-system.org/certification/chain-of-custody/mass-balance/)) material.
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