Hankook Tire to launch tire brand for EVs

Hankook Tire and Technology said it would unveil the world’s first full lineup of tires s for electric vehicles in May.

The world’s sixth-biggest tiremaker by sales said it will launch the iON tire brand for EVs in the European market first, and then in South Korea in August.

The iON will come in six products from 18-inch to 22-inch summer, winter and all-season tires for both passenger cars and sport-utility vehicles.

The iON was developed to target high-performance premium EVs from the start, Hankook Tire said.

Having focused on developing technology customized for EVs, the company has supplied tires for all-electric cars such as the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Volkswagen ID.4 and Tesla Model Y and Model 3.

The tiremaker also ran a US tour project for the Volkswagen ID.4 fitted with its tires, which set a Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an EV.

Hankook Tire was also chosen as the exclusive partner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to exclusively supply tires for EVs from the 2022/23 season when Gen3 race cars will be introduced.

The iON features special technologies called the Hankook sound absorber that reduces cabin noise, and an EV contour technology that offers higher load capacity to combat the added weight of EV battery packs and ultra-resistant aramid fibers to counteract deformation caused by the instant high torques of EVs.

The iON range also features a tread compound that utilizes a high proportion of natural resin, which improves durability and wear levels to extend the tire’s service life, the company said.

The new iON summer tire has achieved an A/A/A rating from the European Union, which corresponds to the highest performance in terms of rolling resistance, wet grip and tire noise.