Korean tire manufacturer Hankook set to unveil novel tire designs tailored for electric sports utility vehicles (E-SUVs) and light electric vehicles.
Hankook Tire Unveils iON HT All-Season Tire for Electric Vehicles
South Korean tire manufacturer Hankook Tire has introduced a new model, the iON HT, specifically designed for electric light commercial vehicles (EVs) and large SUVs. This tire is engineered to meet the unique demands of EVs, offering a blend of durability, efficiency, and safety tailored to EV characteristics.
The iON HT is optimized for Battery EVs and Plug-in Hybrid EVs, sharing similar needs like reduced rolling resistance and enhanced durability. It features advanced tread and compound technologies designed to maximize mileage, minimize uneven tread wear, and boost energy efficiency.
Key technologies in the iON HT include: - Round Even Technology: Ensures balanced load distribution and an optimized footprint to maintain uniform road contact pressure, maximizing mileage. - Opti-Tread Technology: Minimizes uneven tread wear through block-specific rigidity optimization, enhancing tire longevity. - ProDurable Compound: Uses advanced polymer flexibility and optimized silica dispersion to reduce friction and enhance wear performance. - Opti-Cure Technology: Low-temperature curing that minimizes energy loss during tire rotation, extending EV range. - Roll Lite Compound: Lowers internal friction using rim cushion and sub-tread compounds optimized for low rolling resistance (LRR), boosting energy efficiency and battery range.
The iON HT also delivers superior all-season performance. It features a new 3D-Embossed Sipe, Flared Shoulder Groove, Optimized Main Groove Design, and Aggressive Shoulder Design to improve traction, reduce hydroplaning risk, and enhance water evacuation for reliable wet traction and safety.
To reduce cabin noise and improve overall ride comfort, the iON HT features technologies to minimize noise. It is also backed by a 100-day free trial program, limited warranty, treadwear mileage warranty, and road hazard warranty, underscoring confidence in durability and customer satisfaction for EV drivers.
Rob Williams, President of Hankook Tire America Corp, explains that electric vehicles, particularly light trucks and large SUVs, pose new challenges and unique demands on their tires. The iON HT is designed to handle these demands, offering reduced rolling resistance, quiet rolling, and accommodating the high torques of electric vehicles.
The iON HT is marked with the load index "XL", allowing light electric commercial vehicles to carry additional loads during normal use, within the legally permissible gross weight. The available speed indices for the iON HT are T or H, with a maximum speed of up to 210 km/h. The new iON HT will be available from August in tire sizes between 18 and 22 inches.
The iON HT is a part of Hankook Tire's iON product family for electric vehicles, which Hankook Tire introduced in 2022, offering summer, winter, and all-season tires for electric vehicles. With the iON HT, Hankook Tire continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and sustainability in the tire industry.
[1] Source: Hankook Tire press release, 2023. [2] Source: Hankook Tire website, 2023.
- The iON HT, unveiled by Hankook Tire, showcases the company's advancements in the automotive and technology sectors, particularly in the field of electric vehicles.
- As part of the iON product family for electric vehicles, the iON HT is designed to cater to the unique demands of both Plug-in Hybrid EVs and Battery EVs within the transportation industry.
- The iON HT is not only engineered for efficient energy usage in the finance sector but also for improving safety, durability, and all-season performance in the industry and automotive sectors.
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