Prince William Earns 'Prince of Wheels' Title During Visit to ENSO and Uber Partnership

On Tuesday, Prince William earned the playful title of 'Prince of Wheels' as he engaged in a practical demonstration of changing a tyre at ENSO, a start-up recognized in the 'Clean Our Air' category of the Earthshot Prize. During his visit, which coincided with the announcement of a new strategic partnership with Uber, the heir to the throne effortlessly changed the first tyre on a Kia e-Niro, marking its inaugural use in Uber's fleet.

ENSO specializes in developing environmentally-friendly tyres, specifically aimed at electric vehicles. Their innovative tyres are designed to reduce tyre-related pollution, which is a major contributor to air quality issues, especially in urban areas. These low-emission tyres are engineered to lessen particulate pollution by 35 percent compared to traditional tyres, making a significant impact given the 1.5 billion vehicles currently on global roads.

The partnership with Uber is a milestone for ENSO, which was introduced to the global ride-hailing company via the Earthshot team following their recognition in last year's awards. The company is also looking to broaden its reach into the U.S. market, planning to establish a carbon-neutral tyre factory with an investment of $500 million that is projected to open by 2027.

Founded by Prince William four years ago, the Earthshot Prize aims to promote cutting-edge solutions for environmental restoration and sustainability. Each year, five winners are awarded £1 million, while all finalists receive essential support to further their projects. The prince's visit came soon after another engagement with David Beckham at RAF Northolt, where they celebrated the success of the London Air Ambulance's fundraising campaign.