Hankook iON truck/bus range coming to Europe

The iON name is one we’ve recently become acquainted with on Hankook car tyres. With the launch of the iON Evo and iON winter, Hankook Tire has a range of summer and winter tyres specifically aimed at electric vehicles. The South Korean tyre maker is now launching a series of iON truck and bus tyres in its domestic market, and this is worth noting as Hankook says some of these products are being developed with European markets in mind.

The first tyre to join the iON truck and bus range is based upon an existing product. Hankook introduced the AU06 as a fitment for electric buses in 2020, and has now upgraded this tyre and renamed it the Smart iON AU06+. Tailored to the needs of electric bus operators, the Smart iON AU06+ offers improved mileage thanks to an optimised compound; Hankook says the AU06+ offers around 25 per cent better mileage than typical city bus tyres. The AU06+ is also suited to cope with high torque levels and heavy loads, the load-carrying capacity having been increased to eight tonnes. Furthermore, Hankook reports that the upgraded tyre offers wet grip performance that is some ten per cent better than its predecessor.

Full iON TBR range

The Smart iON AU06+ is the first product in what Hankook Tire says will become a full portfolio for electric trucks and buses. Planned models include the Hankook iON City, a tyre aimed at urban applications, and the iON Flex, which focuses on mid- to long-distance transportation. According to Hankook, both these tyres “are to be supplied to the European market” and will also be available in other markets at a later date.