Korean tire manufacturer, Hankook Tire, announced that it will launch the new iON tires as the first tire family designed specifically for premium high-performance electric vehicles.
This was announced as the company’s form of making a decisive contribution from a tire choice perspective to advance the mobility transition to zero-emissions vehicles.
Characteristics of this new iON tire development include a further reduction in rolling resistance, particularly at lower rolling-noise and high resistance.
See also: Why electric vehicles must use special tires?
Compared to conventional tires, Hankook iON tires are claimed to provide a more pleasant driving experience overall and can add longer range. In addition, the new tires are specially designed for the instant high torque generated by electric powered vehicles and can make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions from road traffic.
Sooil Lee, CEO & President of Hankook Tire & Technology said that with the increased range, this new generation of tires will help further optimize the efficiency of electric vehicles in everyday use.
“With the introduction of this new iON family of tires, our company is increasingly considering the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles and the related need for suitable tires,” he explained in his official statement, Tuesday (15/3/2022).
See also: Goodyear introduces new tires with 70 percent sustainable materials
The new iON tires are also claimed to be able to meet the demands of everyday needs for EV tires thanks to an extensive set of technical measures. In particular, Hankook has overcome the higher vehicle mass of electric vehicles caused by the relatively large weight of the drive battery with a higher load capacity.
Its features are also very interesting, such as the Ultra-Resistant Aramid Fibers feature which can effectively resist the deformation forces caused by the very high torque of electric vehicles. It also features a Tread Compound featuring a high proportion of natural resin to ensure exceptional wear resistance.
See also: Choosing the right tires for electric vehicles
The Hankook iON will initially be available in three designs at market launch offering sizes ranging from 18 to 22 inches. For the European market, Hankook plans to launch various variants of the EV tires, starting from the Hankook Ventus iON S which will launch in May 2022 to the Hankook Winter i*cept iON in September 2022.
Not to forget, Hankook is also in the production process of the Hankook Ventus iON A variant which will be available for the North American market.