Tire Cologne debut for Hankook iON

Hankook Tire is unveiling three products at The Tire Cologne later this month, including its first tyre family designed for electric vehicles. Other newcomers include the latest winter tyre range as well as an airless concept tyre. The tyre maker invites visitors to the show to view these and other products at its booth in Hall 8.1, aisle C040/aisle D049.

This EV-specific range is Hankook iON, and at market launch Hankook Tire is offering iON in sizes for 18- to 22-inch rims and in three versions: The Hankook Ventus iON S summer tyre pattern will arrive in European markets from May 2022, while the Hankook Winter i*cept iON winter tyre will be available from September. Hankook hasn’t forgotten customers in North America and will release the Ventus iON A all-season tyre in that market. It says further specific product designs will follow this trio later.

Priority when developing tyres for electric vehicles is maximising range and reducing excess noise. Rolling resistance has thus been reduced in Hankook iON products through the use of aramid fibres in the casing; Hankook says these “effectively counteract the deformation forces caused by the especially high torque in electric vehicles.” To reduce noise, engineers included Hankook’s integrated Sound Absorber technology into all iON products. In connection with the tread pattern, this noticeably reduces the level of noise inside the vehicle.

The tread compound, which features a high proportion of natural resin, also ensures high durability and reduced wear. Another noteworthy feature of the compound is its high proportion of natural oils. Hankook says this not only makes iON products more sustainable overall, but also has a positive effect on the tyres’ mileage potential.

Winter i*cept RS3

With the launch of the Winter i*cept RS3, a winter tyre aimed at “drivers who spend a lot of time on the road,” Hankook Tire has improved upon its award-winning Winter i*cept RS2. In addition to other advances, it has increased tyre mileage by ten per cent compared to the previous model. The RS3 also offers improved braking performance on wet roads.

Hankook i-Flex

Following its debut at the start of the year at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) trade fair in Las Vegas, USA, Hankook i-Flex will be introduced in Europe at The Tire Cologne. The airless concept tyre is considered an optimal solution for autonomous vehicles as it requires no pressure maintenance and is immune to punctures.

Future driving innovator

“Trade fairs like Tire Cologne are of European relevance. This year, Hankook offers a comprehensive line-up of its latest treads. Highlights such as the recently launched iON product line or the i-Flex concept tyre show how seriously our company is taking its task of becoming a future driving innovator,” comments Sanghoon Lee, president of Hankook Tire Europe.

“We’re delighted to be at Tire Cologne again after the three-year hiatus and to have the opportunity to present the new Hankook products to our customers,” adds Dietmar Olbrich, vice-president marketing and sales at Hankook Reifen Deutschland. “The key highlight this year is of course the new iON tyre family. There are, however, other great product innovations from the conventional tyre segment as well. Stimulating conversations with our customers and partners will round off a fantastic trade fair experience.”

UUHP to retreading

In addition to the aforementioned product highlights, Hankook Tire will display other relevant products at The Tire Cologne. Tyres that Hankook will highlight at its booth include the Ultra-Ultra-High-Performance Ventus S1 evo Z, as well as selected truck and trailer products such as the SmartFlex AH51 and SmartFlex DH51 which made their debut over the past year, along with fully retreaded Alphatread tyre patterns.