10 million Ecopia tyres sold in Asia Pacific – Bridgestone

More than 10 million original equipment and replacement market Ecopia tyres have been sold in the Asia Pacific region since the brand was first launched there in 2009, reports Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

When Ecopia was first introduced, just a single product was available and sales of this Ecopia tyre accounted for only two per cent of Bridgestone Asia Pacific’s passenger car tyre sales. Yet sales of the brand grew rapidly, and by 2014 Ecopia tyre made up more than 20 per cent of the region’s replacement tyre sales. Ecopia products sold in Asia Pacific today include the EP150 for small to medium vehicles, EP200 for medium to large saloons, EP850 for SUV/CUVs and ECOPIA PZ-X performance touring tyre. Not all Ecopia models are available in all markets within the region.

The idea behind Ecopia was to provide a range of tyres featuring compounds and tread design technology that offer a balance between fuel efficiency, safety and durability. Giving an example of the savings Ecopia can achieve due to their lower rolling resistance, Bridgestone reports that laboratory tests conducted at its technical centre in Japan using a size 195/65R15 Ecopia EP200 returned up to 12.3 per cent better fuel efficiency compared with the Bridgestone Turanza AR10.

“The rise in eco-consciousness, coupled with drivers seeking new ways of stretching their petrol dollar, has led Ecopia to receive growing interest from vehicle owners since its introduction five years ago,” commented Shinichi Hanashi, chief executive officer of Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. “Achieving this milestone within such a short period of time indicates that Ecopia’s offerings are in line with consumer demands and requirements in the Asia Pacific region.”

The Ecopia name was first used on tyres for electric powered cars in 1991, and in 1998 Bridgestone introduced the Ecopia B381; this tyre was selected as an original equipment fitment on the Volkswagen Lupo 3L TDI (in size 155/65R14). The Ecopia range was introduced into Europe in 2009, with the Ecopia ER300 the first model introduced. The current European Ecopia range includes the EP150, EP25 and EP500.