Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook introduces the iON FlexClimate, its inaugural all-season tyre for the European market for electric passenger cars and SUVs. 

Launching in Europe in October 2023, the iON FlexClimate will initially be available in eight popular sizes for passenger cars and SUVs in the EV segment, with plans for further expansion to include standard sizes ranging from 17 to 21 inches soon.

This innovative addition complements Hankook’s existing range, including the iON evo for summer and the iON icept for winter, creating a comprehensive tyre family designed to cater to current and forthcoming generations of electric vehicles. These Hankook iON offerings, when appropriately sized, can also enhance conventional and hybrid vehicles, showcasing advantages in energy efficiency, noise reduction, sustainability, and longevity.

The iON FlexClimate employs cutting-edge technology to deliver high performance in summer and moderate winter driving conditions. Notable features include exceptional wet surface grip, a substantial reduction in rolling resistance compared to standard tyres, and a robust yet lightweight construction tailored to the specific demands of electric vehicles.

A significant technical highlight of the iON FlexClimate lies in its specialised 3D sipes embedded in the tread. These enhance the tyre’s grip on wet and dry surfaces, even on light snow. The ProGrip tread compound, utilising high-density silica and sustainable materials, optimises adhesion on wet surfaces. To excel in snowy conditions, the tread design incorporates a high sipe density and “2-in-1” sipes and additional grooves within the individual tread blocks to ensure superior traction and braking performance. The iON FlexClimate carries the M+S and 3PMSF (Three-Peak-Mountain-Snow-Flake) labels, attesting to its suitability for year-round use across many European countries.

Addressing the weight dynamics inherent to electric vehicles, Hankook fortifies the iON FlexClimate with a reinforced belt featuring incredibly durable aramid fibres. This design distributes load evenly across the tread’s width, enabling a higher load index per tyre. This effectively counters deformation forces at higher speeds, ensuring precise steering and cornering stability while reducing tread wear. Additionally, the new Grip Boost technology, combined with the aramid belt, boosts the tyre’s sidewall rigidity by 20 percent compared to standard all-season tyres, enhancing driving comfort and vehicle control.

The iON FlexClimate’s specially formulated tread mixture, rich in natural resin, delivers impressive durability and reduced abrasion compared to conventional counterparts. Its high adhesion capabilities facilitate the secure transfer of the high drive torques of electric vehicles to the road. The increased use of natural oils not only heightens sustainability but also extends the lifespan of the tread. As a result, the Hankook iON FlexClimate requires less material for the same mileage, resulting in an overall lighter tyre. This translates to lower energy consumption while driving and reduced energy usage during production.

Incorporating modern mixing techniques and Hankook’s Opti-Cure technology, the tread design of the iON FlexClimate minimises unnecessary tread movements, further lowering energy loss and rolling resistance. The Hankook iON FlexClimate contributes to an extended range per battery charge.

Given the absence of a combustion engine, electric vehicles place greater emphasis on minimising sources of noise. To address this, the iON tyre family incorporates Hankook i Sound Absorber technology and is designed for exceptional aerodynamics, resulting in markedly lower noise levels than standard tyres.

Hankook introduces a new iON technology system, enhancing efficiency in research and development, particularly for the company’s EV tyres. This comprehensive system encompasses four key technologies: i Sound Absorber (noise reduction), i Super Mileage (wear resistance), i Perfect Grip (adhesion), and i Extreme Lightness (rolling resistance). Based on approximately 58 patented technologies, including noise reduction and ProDurable compound technology, this system underpins the development of the iON tyre family.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has launched the ADVAN WINTER V907, a new ultra-high-performance winter tyre, as an afterparts tyre for the Mercedes-AMG E-Class luxury sedan.

The newly developed ADVAN WINTER V907 is designed to provide not only excellent performance on snow but excellent comfort and stability even when driving on dry roads at the high speeds. The tyre features a specially designed tread pattern with V-shaped grooves and 3D sipes as well as a centre rib. These features work in tandem with a special tread compound that combines a cap compound for excellent snow performance and an undertread compound for handling stability on dry roads.

To be sold initially through Mercedes-AMG dealerships in Europe, the new tyre will be available in size 245/45R19 102V for front and size 275/40R19 105V for rear. Both the sizes were jointly developed with Mercedes-AMG and carries the ‘MO1A’ mark on the sides, indicating Mercedes-AMG’s approval. Based on the new afterparts tyre, the company also intends to develop an ADVAN WINTER V907 replacement tyre in a larger variety of sizes. Sales will begin in 2025, mostly in Europe, and will be introduced sequentially at tyre dealers.

BYD has selected Continental’s PremiumContact C tyres as original equipment for its Seal U electric SUV. The electric SUV will come factory-equipped with the premium tyres in size 235/50 R19 99V.

The PremiumContact C tyre provides a pleasant and quiet ride. The rubber compound's unique silica lowers rolling resistance and friction by reducing energy absorption through the tyre while the vehicle is moving. This results in a long tread life and good energy efficiency. Together, a noise-reducing design and noise breakers in the tread pattern greatly reduce the tyre's rolling noise. The PremiumContact C offers a low-impact ride even at high speeds because of its rounded contact patch, which uniformly distributes pressure throughout the tyre.

Continental has been refining tyres for over a decade in an effort to produce ever-lower rolling resistance, minimal rolling noise and high mileage. All of Continental's tyres are able to sustainably lower emissions from combustion cars while still meeting the specifications for electric vehicles. Five most successful EV manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific area use Continental tyres as original equipment, as per the company.

Toyo Tires has introduced the Proxes Sport 2, a high-performance summer tyre designed for sports cars, SUVs and CUVs.

The new tyre features a redesigned profile and advanced tread compounds to enhance performance in wet and dry conditions. Compared to its predecessor, the Proxes Sport 2 offers improved handling, shorter braking distances and a quieter ride.

“The Proxes Sport 2 boasts a 15 percent shorter stopping distance in wet conditions and 10 percent shorter on dry surfaces along with improved handling performance over its predecessor, the Proxes Sport,” said Kevin Arima, senior manager consumer products, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “These improvements enhance the driver’s experience rain or shine on twisty canyon roads or around town.”

The Proxes Sport 2 will be available in over 75 sizes, ranging from 17 to 22 inches, in February 2025.

Atturo Tire has announced the expansion of its AZ810 all-weather tyre line with the addition of 24 new sizes. This expansion brings the total number of AZ810 sizes to 58, catering to a wider range of vehicles, including sedans, sports cars, SUVs, CUVs, hybrids and electric vehicles.

Designed to outperform traditional summer UHP tyres, especially in colder temperatures, the AZ810 offers exceptional wet traction, consistent grip and a smooth ride. The tyre’s versatility and style make it popular for drivers seeking high-performance tyres that can handle various driving conditions.