Kumho confident of double ‘A’ label rating for Ecowing ES01

Kumho Tires claims to have developed a tyre capable of achieving an ‘A’ rating in the European tyre label for both rolling resistance and wet grip. The tyre in question is the Ecowing ES01, which Kumho intends to launch in Europe in the second half of 2012.

The basis of the Korean tyre maker’s assertions about the Ecowing ES01 is its performance in tests carried out by two European organisations. Test Centrum Lelystad, an independent testing laboratory operated by Netherlands-based motor vehicle authority RDW, tested the Eco Wing for wet grip, while Germany’s TÜV SUD tested the tyre for rolling resistance. Kumho adds that the Ecowing ES01 recorded a tyre noise of 71 dB.

“We have focused on eco-friendly tyre development for years in order to satisfy the needs of European consumers who are sensitive to environmental factors,” said Chun-Taek Cho, vice-president and head Kumho Tires’ research headquarters. “Our efforts have paid off, and we finally developed Ecowing ES01, which offers improved energy efficiency, wet grip, noise and durability. After becoming the first tyre manufacturer in the world to acquire the Nordic Ecolabel in 2002, Kumho Tires has acquired Class A under the EU tyre labelling system. By gaining recognition in the strictest markets, the company is favourably positioned to secure competitiveness in the eco-friendly tyre market in the EU, as well as in Korea.”  

The Ecowing S was introduced in Korea in March 2012. Kumho says it invested KRW 50 billion (£27.1 million) in the project over a four-year period.