Hankook plans to release a new tire lineup dubbed “iON” made specifically for electric vehicles. The tires will be launched this year. They are designed to reduce rolling resistance and perform well with heavy and high torque vehicles.
The tire manufacturer will produce Hankook tires in sizes ranging from 18 to 22 inches. These will work with premium and high-performance vehicles. The iON S summer version will be available in Europe in May. The Winter i*cept iON tire will be available in September.
For North America, Hankook will release the Ventus iON A all-season tire together with other products in the near future.
“With the introduction of this new iON tire family, our company is increasingly considering the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles and the associated need for suitable tires, also in terms of the need for replacements,” said Sooil Lee, president and CEO of Hankook Tire & Technology. “With an improved range per battery charge, this new generation of tires will help to further optimize the efficiency of electric vehicles in everyday use.”
All tires have low rolling resistance that helps EVs to go farther on a single charge. They are also quiet thanks to Hankook’s trademarked sound absorber technology and a special tread pattern design made to reduce noise.
“We are particularly proud that the new Hankook iON summer tire, for example, has achieved an A/A/A rating on the EU tire label. This corresponds to the highest performance in terms of rolling resistance, wet grip, and tire noise,” said Bonhee Ku, executive vice president, and CTO at Hankook.
The tires are also made to be durable and handle the initial torque and weight of electric motors. Hankook used ultra-resistant aramid fibers in the rubber to counteract the deformation forces caused by high torque. Natural resin was added to improve mileage, sustainability, and durability.