Lucid Motors has selected Hankook Tire’s EV-exclusive all-season tyre, the iON evo AS SUV, as original equipment (OE) for its all-new electric SUV, the Lucid Gravity, designed for the North American Market.

Through its partnership with Lucid Motors, Hankook Tire has unveiled the iON evo AS SUV as a high-performance all-season tyre designed especially for big electric SUVs. The tyre's next-generation compound design combines high-performance polymers, environmentally friendly components, and high-concentration silica to provide outstanding grip and improved mileage performance in a variety of driving circumstances throughout the year. Notably, the tyre's stiffness profile has been tuned to support the heavier EV battery packs while maintaining a consistent road contact pressure to improve driving stability.

Its tread shape also permits even wear, increasing the tyre's longevity. The tyres greatly reduce rolling resistance and efficiently reduce noise by carefully balancing the size and quantity of tread blocks. Drivers who want a dynamic driving experience may retain great energy economy thanks to this design's improvements.

The Lucid Gravity, a full-size, three-row SUV and Lucid Motors' second all-electric vehicle model, was just introduced in the US. The Lucid Gravity has a sleek body and an elegant interior. It has a range of more than 700 kilometres on a single charge, can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.5 seconds and produces up to 828 horsepower in Grand Touring configuration. Actual results will vary depending on temperature, driving behaviour, battery state and charging.

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Pirelli has engineered a bespoke version of its P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slick tyre for three flagship BMW M models: the M2, M3 and M4. Developed in partnership with the German manufacturer, the road-legal track tyre is engineered to deliver safety and sporting performance, particularly dry grip, cornering stability and braking, along with consistent performance during track use.

The new fitment has powered two Nürburgring-Nordschleife records. The BMW M2 with M Performance Track Kit, which pairs street-legal driving with an optimised set-up for greater track-day precision, lapped in 7:25.068 minutes, beating the compact car record held by the M2 CS by 0.5 seconds. The BMW M3 CS Touring completed the circuit in 7:29.490, becoming the fastest Touring car ever around the legendary German track and beating the previous record by nearly six seconds. The Nordschleife also served as the main development venue for the tyre.

Close collaboration between Pirelli and BMW M's R&D teams underpinned the bespoke programme. Advanced virtual development techniques allowed the tyre's characteristics to be adapted to different requirements from the earliest project stages, in line with Pirelli's Perfect Fit approach of creating products tailored to each specific model or application. After the virtual phase, development moved to track testing at the Nardò circuit and the Nürburgring, where simulation-derived solutions were validated in real-world conditions.

All Pirelli fitments for the German high-performance car manufacturer carry BMW's star marking, confirming homologation and compliance with stringent performance and safety requirements. The new fitments strengthen a longstanding partnership now spanning more than 30 bespoke tyre projects across the P Zero family, from the latest-generation P Zero and the P Zero R to the P Zero Trofeo RS and P Zero Winter 2.

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NEXEN TIRE will provide original equipment tyres for the all-new Hyundai TUCSON compact SUV, with the supply rolling out sequentially across Korea, North America and Europe. The company is fitting the Korean-market vehicles with the ROADIAN GTX in 17-inch sizes and the N'FERA Supreme S in 18-, 19- and 20-inch sizes.

North American deliveries are scheduled to start with internal combustion engine variants later this year, followed by hybrid models in the first quarter of next year, using the same product lineup as Korea. For Europe, the N'FERA Primus will be offered in 17- and 18-inch sizes and the N'FERA Sport in 19- and 20-inch sizes, with the selection tailored to local driving conditions.

The ROADIAN GTX, engineered specifically for SUVs, employs an advanced compound that sustains braking performance and ride comfort across a wide temperature range throughout the year. Its zigzag tread design distributes contact pressure to curb vehicle pulling, while improved tread life lengthens replacement intervals. The N'FERA Supreme S, a flagship tyre for high-performance premium vehicles, emphasises quietness and ride comfort. Using convolutional neural network technology, an AI-based image recognition model, NEXEN TIRE optimised the tread pattern to reduce noise and restrict road noise entering the cabin, and pattern retention technology helps maintain consistent performance even after tread wear reaches 50 percent of the wear limit.

The TUCSON contract illustrates NEXEN TIRE's OE capabilities in matching products to vehicle segments and market requirements. The company holds a broad OE portfolio spanning leading global premium automakers and volume models that account for significant regional sales. The supply follows recent OE fits for the Hyundai Avante, known as the Elantra in some markets, and the Kia Sorento.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, "The all-new TUCSON belongs to a segment with strong demand both in Korea and abroad, and this supply allows us to reach a wider range of drivers. As the supply extends beyond Korea to North America and Europe, we expect it to further strengthen our brand awareness in the global market."

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Global Rubber Industries (GRI) has reported higher traction, productivity and fuel efficiency for its GREEN XLR vFLEX 70 agricultural tyres than an established variable-footprint (VF) benchmark, following independent testing by Germany’s DLG TestService.

The Sri Lanka-based tyre manufacturer received the DLG Approved Quality Mark under Test Report 7616 after its tyres were assessed for traction, productivity, fuel efficiency and soil preservation at the testing organisation’s facility in Groß-Umstadt, Germany.

The tests used a John Deere 6R 215 tractor fitted with GRI GREEN XLR vFLEX 70 tyres measuring 710/70 R 42 on the rear axle and 600/70 R 30 on the front axle. The tyres were compared with an established VF reference tyre.

The results showed that the GRI tyres delivered 17.2 per cent higher traction and 3 per cent greater productivity than the benchmark. Hourly fuel consumption, measured in litres per hectare, was 3 per cent lower.

DLG concluded: "Overall, the GRI Green XLR vFLEX 70 impressed in the tested trials, particularly in terms of traction, productivity, and energy efficiency."

The productivity assessment measured hectares covered per hour, taking into account drawbar force, driving speed and wheel slip.

GRI said a three percent productivity improvement could translate into approximately 120 additional hectares covered over 1,000 operating hours, assuming a constant work rate of four hectares an hour. The company described this as an illustrative calculation rather than a measured test result.

The fuel-efficiency results also indicated potential operating savings. Based on an illustrative consumption rate of 20 litres per hectare, a 3 per cent reduction would save approximately 0.6 litres per hectare. Across 1,000 hectares, this would amount to about 600 litres.

GRI estimated that the saving would be worth approximately EUR 900 at a fuel price of EUR 1.50 a litre. It stressed that actual savings would depend on operating conditions, fuel consumption and prevailing fuel prices.

The DLG assessment also examined soil protection. However, the findings were only partially conclusive because usable measurements were available from a soil depth of 20cm under the selected test conditions.

Suresh Damodaran, Head Of Technical at GRI, said the independent assessment provided farmers with measurable evidence of the tyres' performance.

"These results are an important milestone for GRI and a clear validation of what our engineering teams have been working toward," said Damodaran. "Independent testing by DLG now gives farmers measurable evidence of how our tires perform in the field."

He added: "For farmers, the real value lies in what these numbers mean in the field," Damodaran added. "Stronger traction, higher productivity and lower fuel consumption all contribute to more efficient operations and better returns on their equipment. Our objective is not simply to manufacture high-performance tires, but to develop solutions that deliver measurable value to the people who depend on them every day."

GRI said the findings reflected its engineering capabilities in the agricultural tyre segment. It also noted that total cost of ownership would depend on other factors, including purchase price, service life, maintenance and operating conditions.

Global Rubber Industries manufactures specialty tyres for the agriculture, construction and material handling sectors. The company operates tyre production and mixing facilities in Sri Lanka and has a presence in more than 85 markets worldwide.

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Continental has secured original-equipment approval for Volkswagen's new ID. Cross, an all-electric compact SUV that will leave the factory fitted with the EcoContact 7 summer tyre in 17-, 18- and 19-inch dimensions. For colder conditions, Volkswagen recommends the WinterContact TS 870 P, while the 18-inch AllSeasonContact 2 is suggested for motorists favouring a single year-round set.

Engineered for low rolling resistance and high mileage, the EcoContact 7 supports energy-efficient, cost-effective motoring. Its Smart Energy Casing technology employs innovative materials in the carcass, inner layer and sidewall to cut internal friction, while an Aerodimple sidewall structure reduces air turbulence behind the tyre and thus aerodynamic drag. A Silent Pattern tread design also dampens rolling noise, especially at city speeds.

The WinterContact TS 870 P relies on its tread pattern and sipe layout for secure grip on snow and ice. The AllSeasonContact 2, meanwhile, offers dependable traction on dry and wet roads as well as in wintry conditions. Approved fitments span the EcoContact 7 in 225/55 R17 97T FR, 225/50 R18 95V and 225/45 R19 92T FR, plus the AllSeasonContact 2 and WinterContact TS 870 P, both in 215/50 R18 96T XL, across numerous countries.

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