The performance stats of recently-launched electric cars highlight that the move to electrification not only eliminates emissions, but also raises the bar in regards to sheer acceleration and instant performance. Electric saloons from manufacturers such as Audi and Porsche can hit 60 mph faster than many traditional supercars. Goodyear says this brings exciting new challenges for tyre design and development.
Chinese car maker BYD debuted its new EA1 electric hatchback at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show, and ZC Rubber is proud to share that the car was unveiled with Chaoyang tyres as original equipment. The EA1 wears Chaoyang RP76 tyres in size 195/60 R16.
More than 40 per cent of Harley-Davidson motorcycles come factory fitted with Michelin tyres. The latest Harley to ride on the French firm’s products is the Pan America 1250, which is fitted exclusively with Michelin tyres.
From its base at Seoul Incheon Airport in South Korea, Air Premia will soon start operating regional flights to Vietnam (Hanoi) and Japan (Tokyo), with plans to fly intercontinental routes in the coming years. By 2024, Air Premia aims to have a fleet of ten Boeing 787-9 aircraft fitted exclusively with Michelin tyres. The Air Premia-operated Boeing 787-9 planes will be equipped with Michelin Air X tyres featuring patented Near Zero Growth (NZG) technology.
Two key agendas influenced Bridgestone’s decision to get involved with the World Solar Challenge (WSC). Alongside a desire to promote sustainability, the tyre maker viewed the event as an opportunity to make contact with young innovators. One such innovator was Lex Hoefsloot, whose team from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands achieved WSC class wins with their Stella solar vehicles on four occasions. These victories became the starting point of a relationship between Hoefsloot and Bridgestone that continues to this day and will see Bridgestone Turanza Eco tyres fitted to the world’s first commercially available long-range solar electric vehicle later this year.
The Toyota Yaris has gone the way of the Mini and Fiat 500 and bulked out to meet market demand. Toyota has launched the Yaris Cross, a new and larger version of its popular supermini. It designed this B-segment SUV specifically for the European market and has selected Goodyear as an original equipment tyre supplier. The Toyota Yaris Cross will wear the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 in size 215/50R18 with a load/speed rating of 92V.
Giti Tire’s GitiSynergyH2 has won another European original equipment tyre fitment. The Seat Ateca will roll off production lines on the AA-rated size 225/55R17 97V. The news represents the manufacturer’s second VW Group passenger car OE selection in the last month following its fitment in the same size on the Skoda Karoq. The GitiSynergyH2 is also specified by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, selected in size 215/55R17 XL 98H and 205/60 R16 XL 96H for the VW Caddy 5, one of the best-selling commercial vehicles in Europe.
Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has selected Goodyear as unique tyre supplier for the Air France-KLM Group’s fleet of more than 130 Boeing 737NG aircraft. KLM and Transavia will thus equip their 737NG aircraft with Goodyear Flight Leader tyres for the next ten years.
GRI has commenced its supply of original equipment tyres to the KION Group, one of the world’s leading providers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions. KION selected GRI’s Ultimate XT premium plus tyre for its Linde Material Handling forklift trucks, produced in Germany. GRI manufactures its speciality tyres in Sri Lanka, using some of the latest technology and locally sourced natural rubber. It calls the OE deal a milestone for its product development.
Audi is once again turning to Goodyear to equip one of its flagship electric vehicles. Audi e-tron SUVs have been fitted with Goodyear tyres as original equipment since 2019, and now Audi is equipping its new generation gran turismo, the Audi e-tron GT, with 21-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 tyres.
Yokohama’s Advan Sport V107 has been approved for fitment on the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC. The SUV went on sale in Europe in December 2019. The GLB 35 can be outfitted with 21-inch 255/35ZR21 98Y size Advan Sport V107 tyres. The deal expands Yokohama’s already thriving relationship with Mercedes-AMG.
Yokohama is supplying its Advan Sport V107 tyres to BMW for the manufacturer’s new iX3. The German marque’s first sports activity vehicle (SAV) with an all-electric-drive system uses three sizes of the Advan Sport V107 on the new electric SAV: 245/50R19 105W, 245/45R20 103W, and 275/40R20 106W. Yokohama began shipping the tyres to the BMW Group in September 2020.
Continental has become the first tyre manufacturer to order Ansible Motion’s all-new advanced Driver-in-the-Loop (DIL) simulator, the Delta S3. Simulation technology, which is now capable of modelling tyre performance to an extreme degree of accuracy, is increasingly employed by car manufacturers and original equipment suppliers, such as tyre manufacturers. Conti’s decision to bring in the latest DIL simulation technology is informed by the need to mirror its OEM customers’ development processes, but the system’s most important effect will be the efficiency benefits it delivers, as Dr. Boris Mergell, head of research and development of the Tires business area at Continental, explains. “Developing and testing premium tyres is a highly complex, time-intensive process. By using the new dynamic driving simulator, we will make this development process even more efficient in the future.”
The relationship between Michelin and BMW dates back 35 years, and at present the tyre maker supplies to no less than nine ‘M’ models – the M2, M3, M4, M5, M8, X3 M, X4 M, X5 M and X6 M. Most recently, Michelin tailored two of its high performance tyre lines for original equipment fitment on the BMW M3 and M4.
RAC analysis of the latest official Government data shows that the number of battery electric vehicles (‘BEVs’) in private hands in the UK rose by nearly 30,000 in the 12 months to September 2020, an increase of 53 per cent on the year before, with more than a third of these (36 per cent) in London and the South East of England.
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