Continental's CONTI NXT Multi V-belt from the ContiTech group shows it will also be possible to power auxiliary units in cars using renewable raw materials and recycled materials. CONTI NXT Multi V-belt will use tension cords made from recycled PET bottles, a textile cover layer made from organic fibers as well as rubber certified according to the mass balance standard and recycled carbon black. Overall, the belt is made of almost two-thirds of more sustainable materials compared to conventional V-ribbed belts. The CONTI NXT will be available in the spring of 2025, in addition to the conventional Multi V-belts of the Continental brand – initially in 25 different types for the most common repair needs.

"We are very proud of this pioneering achievement in the passenger car aftermarket," says Rolf Sudmann, who is responsible for the spare parts business for cars and commercial vehicles in the ContiTech Industrial Solutions EMEA business area. "At ContiTech, we have the material expertise to make belt drive components and other rubber-based products progressively more sustainable, without compromising on performance and durability, as we are now demonstrating with the CONTI NXT Multi V-belts. We are closely monitoring the demand for spare parts made from recycled or renewable materials, and we firmly believe that we can offer more sustainable alternatives for other spare parts."

Multi V-belts for passenger cars usually consist of four layers: a polyester tension cord, a rubber layer, a belt backing also made of rubber and a textile cover layer. Continental has now succeeded in using polyester made from recycled plastic bottles for the tension cord. Also, the ContiTech material experts were able to replace the synthetic fiber cover layer of most Multi V-belts with a cover layer made of cellulose-based lyocell fibers. The fibers are produced in an environmentally friendly and closed process; the cellulose used comes from sustainable forestry. Furthermore, recycled carbon black and rubber certified according to the mass-balance standard are also used for the rubber compound.

CONTI NXT Multi V-belts were highlighted during Automechanika Frankfurt 2024.

continental.com