Sept. 8, 2008 - ExxonMobil Chemical has started production on a new tire material that the company says can hold air more efficiently using less material.

The new tire material, called Exxcore, increases fuel efficiency by improving the air retention within a tire, ExxonMobil says. (Improved air retention means reduced rolling resistance, resulting in better fuel economy.) The company also reports that the liners are more durable than traditional products, which could potentially extend the life of the tire.

ExxonMobil says that several tire manufacturers already plan to start using the Exxcore inner liner in their tires later this year.

The Exxcore inner liner is one more addition in the race for the most fuel efficient tires. Communications company Cox is now filling its delivery-truck tires with nitrogen gas, and Michelin has invested millions in a research and development project focused on reducing rolling resistance in tires.