Global leading tire company Hankook Tire is expanding its original equipment business for the supply of tires for electric vehicles to include the ID.4, Volkswagen’s first e-SUV. To meet the requirements of this drive technology, the ID.4 will be equipped with the Ventus S1 evo 3 ev tire developed specifically for electric cars. Depending on the equipment variant, the size range from 18- to 21 Inch are partly equipped with Hankook SEALGUARD® puncture protection technology. Also available with original equipment tires in 20 and 21 inch: the twin-engine brother of the ID.4, the VW ID.4 GTX: sustainable as an ID, Sporty as a GTI, comfortable as an SUV.
“The prototypes of various electric vehicles from VW were already running on Hankook tires. We are pleased to be able to further expand and support the portfolio of alternative drive systems with the ID.4 tires together with our long-standing global original equipment partner Volkswagen,” says Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Director of OE Division. “With this, we want to make an additional, important contribution to sustainable mobility.”
Reduced rolling resistance, lower weight and higher load-bearing capacity: characteristics that are of particular importance for electric vehicle tires, in order to support battery performance and the vehicle’s range, while at the same time supporting the concept-related higher vehicle weight. To meet these special requirements, Hankook engineers have equipped the EV tire Ventus S1 evo 3 ev with a double-layer carcass made of a specially developed high-performance fibre. It offers very high stability with a low tare weight relative to its size. Also important is the tread compound of the Ventus S1 evo 3 ev, which – for excellent grip in wet and dry conditions – has been adapted to the needs of very high drive torque deploying electric vehicles, while optimizing rolling resistance at the same time. In the 20-inch dimensions, an additional steel-based reinforcement is also used in the bead area due to the reduced sidewall height, which contributes to further increased sidewall stiffness. In addition to a precise fit of the tire on the rim, this also ensures particularly sporty, direct steering response.
The Hankook SEALGUARD sealing technology applied in the Hankook 19-, 20- and 21-inch dimensions for the VW ID.4 automatically seals punctures up to 5mm in diameter within the tire’s tread area. SEALGUARD offers the advantage that even in the unlikely event of a nail puncture, for example, a trip can be continued without any problems and the tire does not need changing. Therefore, a spare wheel no longer needs to be carried in SEALGUARD-equipped vehicles, providing additional space in the boot, saving weight, and eliminating the need for a potentially dangerous wheel change at the roadside. In addition to their safety benefits, tires equipped with Hankook’s SEALGUARD technology continue to offer the usual comfort, as their basic construction does not differ from tires without SEALGUARD.
Numerous leading vehicle manufacturers are already equipping their electric and hybrid models with Hankook EV tires as a standard fitment because Hankook continuously invests in research and development and is well prepared for the changes in the mobility industry. Sustainability is a particular concern for the tire maker. For example, the Group is the only Asian company to be listed in the renowned Dow Jones World Sustainability Index (DJSI World) for the fifth time in succession and last year received the prestigious EcoVadis Platinum Award for its global sustainable commitment. In addition, the company was recently confirmed as the new, exclusive tire supplier and technical partner for the “ABB FIA Formula E World Series” from the 2022/23 season onwards, where Hankook will deploy particularly sustainable and energy-saving motorsport tires.