The Prince of Wales is set to visit an Earthshot Prize finalist, ENSO, as the eco-tyre firm announces a new partnership with Uber.
The London-based start-up was shortlisted in the Clean Our Air category of William’s global environmental competition in 2023 for its sustainable, low emission electric vehicle tyres which are designed to shed fewer polluting particles. During his visit, William will assist in fitting an ENSO tyre onto an electric vehicle and meet with founder Gunnlaugur Erlendsson to discuss the company's progress since his last visit.
As part of a new three-year deal between ENSO and Uber, thousands of drivers in the UK and US will have access to discounted ENSO tyres via a dedicated buyers’ club. Uber revealed that nearly 30% of its miles in London are now fully electric, dubbing the city its global "capital of electrification".
Jill Hazelbaker, Uber's chief marketing officer, expressed her excitement about the partnership: "We’re thrilled to work with ENSO to help them grow while making it easier for Uber drivers to go electric around the world." Uber has also become a founding partner of William’s Earthshot Prize and will nominate climate solution start-ups for the annual award, which awards £1m to five winners each year to develop their projects.
Ms Hazelbaker announced that the delivery titan is teaming up with the Earthshot Prize to use its platform as a catalyst for global solutions, especially those that hasten our journey towards an all-electric future. It's reported that tyres are responsible for six million tonnes of pollution annually worldwide, shedding invisible micro-pollutants into our air from road friction—culprits that contribute to heart disease, asthma and other ailments.
ENSO has engineered a tyre for electric vehicles with lowered emissions, one that slashes particle pollution by 35% while also being more durable. Mr Erlendsson said: "Our goal is to provide EV drivers with more affordable, energy efficient, longer-lasting, and ultimately carbon-neutral tyres. This helps Uber drivers save costs and earn more revenue every mile, all while reducing the impact of tyres on the environment."
In June, ENSO unveiled plans for a carbon-neutral tyre plant in the US, promising an investment of $500m (£373m), over 600 new jobs, and a production capacity of more than five million EV tyres annually.
Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize back in 2020 with the aim of uncovering and expanding innovative solutions to mend our world, backed by a £50m prize fund over the next decade.
