Bridgestone a Toyota Prius OE supplier

When it goes on sale in Europe in spring, the plug-in hybrid version of the latest generation Toyota Prius will be available with Bridgestone Ecopia EP510 and Ecopia EP150 tyres as original equipment. These tyres will also be a factory fitment on the new Prius in Japan and Asia, while cars destined for North America may be fitted with the Ecopia EP422 Plus. Yokohama Rubber has already announced its OEM supply for the Prius.

Bridgestone utilises its Enliten technology in all three original equipment Ecopia tyres. It is delivering the Ecopia EP510 to Toyota Motor Corporation in size 195/50R19 88H, a larger, diameter, narrow dimension that employs ologic fuel efficiency technology. “This technology, combined with the latest tread pattern, compound and tyre casing specifically designed for the new Prius, helps deliver high levels of environmental and driving performance, thereby enabling Bridgestone to deliver the maximum value based on the usage conditions of customers in their respective regions,” states Bridgestone.

The Prius wears Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 and Ecopia EP422 Plus tyres in size 195/60R17 90H. The latter is an all-season tyre, the preferred OEM fitment for North American customers.

Toyota has decided against selling the fifth-generation Prius in the UK. Although Toyota says it “succeeded in setting new records in key areas of its UK new car sales during 2022” with alternative fuel vehicles – hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, fuel cell electric and battery electric – accounting for 75 per cent of all new Toyota brand sales, the company admits that very few of these were Prius models. According to Autocar, just 563 were sold in the UK in 2021.