Funded by the European Commission’s LIFE Programme, RE-BREATH – Reduction Brake Wear Emission in Transport Sector project, aimed to better understand and reduce non-exhaust particulate emissions from braking systems in urban fleets.

 

At the heart of the project is Brembo’s innovative braking system specially developed for heavy-duty vehicles, aligning with the upcoming Euro 7 standards. The system includes brake discs made from low-wear cast iron and copper-free brake pads specially designed to work in synergy with the new discs. The new pad will be available on the market by the end of 2025.

Re-Breath_low wear cast iron brake disc-pads.tif

Brembo's contribution to the project, co-funded by the European Commission under the LIFE Programme, was validated by real-world testing across two cities: Bergamo (Italy) and Bratislava, identified as the urban centers with the highest PM1O concentration.

 

The results of the RE-BREATH project attested:

  • significant increase in the service life of brake discs during road demonstration compared to historical data: +50% compared to OE (Original Equipment) systems and +100% compared to AM (Aftermarket) systems.
  • PM10 emission reduction: -10% by comparing the OE (Original Equipment) system with the RE-BREATH solution, using the bench test emission factor and the EEA (European Environment Agency) methodology for emission estimation.
  • A decrease in PM10 concentration between 40% and 70% at bus stops equipped with green barriers, confirming the effectiveness of environmental mitigation interventions.

 

The project's data were shared with Task Force 5 (PMP group, UNECE), a group focused on the measurement of brake wear particles from heavy-duty vehicles, to help develop future emission standards. The results also demonstrated the potential scalability of the system in other high-demand contexts, paving the way for wider adoption of sustainable components within fleets.

 

For more information:

RE-BREATH // LinkedIn

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