Pirelli H:01 Coach – better performance, higher loads

Say hello to new generation of Pirelli tyres for buses and coaches engaged in regional and long-distance service. The H:01 Coach line-up includes the FH:01 all-axle and the specialised TH:01 drive tyre fitment. Manufacturer Prometeon says its R&D team aimed to develop a product that satisfies the needs of operators in the sector while keeping pace with the evolution of both vehicle technologies and regulations covering CO2 emissions and noise.

The TH:01 Coach was developed to give drive axles additional traction and grip in winter conditions. The tyre features full-depth sipes – Prometeon says this helps the tyre give up to 20 per cent superior snow traction than the product it replaces. The patented tread design and geometry of the grooves and sipes contribute to maintaining optimal traction and wet grip performance throughout the tyre’s entire life.

With an EU label rating of B for wet grip, all H:01 products rank among the best-in-class on the market. Their label rating for rolling resistance is B as well, with rolling resistance up to ten per cent lower than the previous-generation Pirelli tyre. Prometeon reports that the TH:01 Coach is positioned as the best in class within the B energy efficiency rating.

Mileage has been increased by up to ten per cent compared with the prior tyre model, and rolling noise is best in class. The FH:01 Coach has rolling noise of 68dB and the TH:01 Coach 69dB, results made possible thanks to an optimised tread design.

The FH:01 Coach range includes size 295/80R22.5 with a load index 156/149M and 315/80R22.5 158/150L. They are the first on the market with such extra load capacities, with an increase in the capacity of the front axle respectively to 8.0 and 8.5 tonnes, in line with the needs of original equipment for next-generation electric and hybrid vehicles. The TH:01 is available as a size 295/80 R22.5 152/148M fitment.

“The H:01 Coach tyres are the result of a constant research and development of solutions that allow us to reach important improvements in specific performances, while maintaining high levels in already consolidated ones. We constantly invest in innovations that enrich the technological package of the 01 Series, through new patents,” comments Alexandre Bregantim, Prometeon’s chief technical officer.

“This approach also extends to the production process and to materials: the optimization of the vulcanisation cycle and the use of special compound formulations reduce the heat generation of the carcass while in operation, maximising its durability beyond the first life. H:01 Coach, with higher mileage, reduced rolling resistance, among the best in class positioning for safety and a further increased load index, confirms Prometeon’s goal of providing products and solutions for an increasingly efficient and sustainable mobility.”