Continental Tire EcoPlus+ Technology, EcoPlus or "E" Symbol

Continental Tire, one of Europe's largest Original Equipment tire suppliers, uses several naming conventions to identify its eco-friendly, fuel-efficient tires designed with low rolling resistance as one of their features.

EcoPlus+ Technology was introduced in North America during 2010 in conjunction with the Continental ProContact with EcoPlus+ Technology line of Standard Touring All-Season tires. EcoPlus+ Technology consists of two main ingredients:

• Tg-F Polymers: Temperature activated functional polymers that increase compound bonding thus improving treadwear and fuel efficiency.
• +Silane: +Silane additives enhance grip on slippery roads, therefore reducing stopping distances.

EcoPlus

EcoPlus branding has been used to acknowledge the lower rolling resistance and eco-focused manufacturing methods of select Continental Original Equipment tires fitted to European roadsters, coupes and sedans. EcoPlus was introduced in North America during the 1990s in conjunction with the Continental ContiTouringContact CH95 line of Grand Touring All-Season tires, and has since been expanded to include numerous Original Equipment and replacement tire lines.

"E" Symbol

While Continental Original Equipment tires typically feature fuel-efficient constructions and compounds to help the vehicles they are fitted to meet government CAFE and/or CO2 emission requirements, Continental's wide range of Original Equipment fitments has created a need to be able to differentiate "standard" from "optimized" rolling resistance tires.

Therefore, where multiple versions of the same tire size, tread pattern and service description exist, additional versions that offer significant reductions in rolling resistance will be identified with an "E" symbol following the tire line name. The "E" symbol is printed on the tire label and branded on the tire sidewall. An example is the standard ContiSportContact 3 SSR tires compared to the ContiSportContact 3 E SSR tires used as Original Equipment on BMW 5 Series cars beginning with the 2011 model year.

Note: It is not recommended to mix standard and "E"-symbol "optimized" rolling resistance tires on the same vehicle.