Falken launches studded Espia Ice tyre designed for Nordic market

Falken has launched a new studded winter tyre for the Nordic and Baltic markets, featuring a new tungsten carbide stud design and pressure-optimised sipes for increased levels of extreme winter weather performance. With temperatures as low as 50 degrees Celsius and between 250-300 cm of snow covering the landscape for up to six months of the year, the Nordic and Baltic regions place exceptionally high performance demands on winter tyres.

Falken Tyre engineers developed the new studs for better traction and braking in icy conditions, even in short braking distances. The new pins are made of the world’s hardest material, tungsten carbide, and have been specially optimised for the lightweight Falken Espia Ice tyre.

Developed and manufactured in Europe, the directional, boxed-shaped stud-pins have three grooves on each side to crush ice. Improved lateral grip is provided by an extremely wide flange on the directional stud body. The stud hole, together with the protectors surrounding the stud hole, secures the stud and ensures a higher level of stud retention and minimised road damage. The specially developed dual-compound design better secures the stud during running and provides outstanding levels of snow grip.

To provide each stud with fresh ice to grip, the Espia Ice features 16 independent stud lines for increased grip, ice traction and braking.

The tyre’s tread pattern is divided into three different areas for better performance in dry, wet and snowy conditions. The central tread design provides smooth, directional stability and precise cornering. Specially designed transversal grooves are featured in the tyre pattern for efficient water displacement. While at the edge, pressure-optimised “Miura-Ori” sipes are used to increase the snow displacement area for more traction and shorter braking distances. The Miura-Ori fold is a method of folding a flat surface into a smaller area, named by it’s founder Koryo Miura, a Japanese astrophysicist.

The supercomputer and synchrotron-designed 4D compound structure has led to increased macro-stiffness for better feel and reduced micro-stiffness for better adhesion. The 4D Nano designed compounding technology is a patented technology of Falken manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries that SRI states has generated significant improvements in tyre performance, weight and tyre life.

The Espia Ice is optimised for Russian and Nordic regulations. Falken has focused on bringing the most popular 38 sizes – specifically, 13-18 inches and 45-70 series – to market at launch.