Red Dot Design Award for upcoming electric bus tyre

Hankook Tire & Technology shares its latest triumph, being named ‘Winner’ in the Product Design category at the Red Dot Design Award 2024.

Hosted by Germany’s International Forum in Hannover, the Red Dot Award evaluates contenders across Product Design, Brands & Communication Design, and Design Concept, considering factors such as design, quality, functionality, and eco-friendliness. This year’s accolade for Hankook Tire throws the spotlight on the Hankook e Smart city AU56, a tyre developed specifically for electric buses and scheduled for a worldwide rollout by the end of 2024.

“The e Smart city AU56 tyre is built from advanced compounds, integrating cutting-edge technology to optimise performance for electric buses,” says Hankook Tire. “It delivers enhanced mileage from its tyre tread block technology, which provides superior grip and prolonged tread life, allowing the tyre to last much longer than traditional bus tyres.”

The tyre’s sidewall features a protector with block-like grooves and colours, not only elevating its aesthetic appeal but also serving functional purposes by reducing tyre weight and mitigating wear from curbs and other abrasions.

Numerous accolades

This recent triumph marks Hankook Tire’s 17th Red Dot Design Award since 2013. In 2015, Hankook Tire achieved the milestone of becoming the first Korean company to receive the highest honour, the Luminary at the Red Dot Design Award.

Moreover, Hankook Tire’s consistent victories at the iF Design Award in Germany and the IDEA Award in the United States, annually since 2012, further underscore its commitment to “high design standards as a leading global tyre manufacturer.”