L-R: Mr Peter Jung, Vice President for Asia Pacific, Hankook Tire & Mr Oh Hyun Nam, Managing Director, Hankook Tire Malaysia launching the tyres.
Hankook Tire Malaysia has introduced its innovative tyres i.e. the Hankook iON evo range and Ventus Prime 4. The iON evo tyre series is the Korean tyre manufacturer’s latest range and is specifically designed for electric vehicles (EV), including for SUVs.
The iON evo is developed with a focus on offering uncompromised performance in handling and mileage, featuring low rolling resistance, good wet grip characteristics, and low noise. iON evo is available in 4 sizes ranging from 18″ to 21″ while the iON evo SUV range is available in 4 sizes, from 19″ to 22″. Hankook Tire Malaysia is also considering to expand its range of tyre sizes to suit the electric vehicles sold in Malaysia.
The EV-exclusive iON evo and iON evo SUV tyres offer superior handling and grip performance that can help manage the initial high torque delivery that are typical of EVs. These tyres are made of a high-concentration silica compound and eco-friendly materials that meet the desired durability and are designed to spread the ground pressure evenly. This allows for a longer tyre tread life thus reducing the frequency of tyre replacement.
Using Hankook Tire’s EV Contour Technology, cornering stiffness is increased by 10% for the iON evo and iON evo SUV to further enhance cornering stability and deliver greater handling performance. Additionally, a reinforcement belt mixed with the most advanced fiber, ‘Aramid’, is applied to improve steering performance and to maintain an optimum shape during high-speed driving. The pattern block rigidity is also further optimised to prevent slippage caused by the high torque of EVs, with extended outside shoulder blocks for maximum road contact.
Furthermore, iON evo and iON evo SUV are designed to manage the characteristics of EVs which are typically 30% heavier due to battery weight and thus have 20% faster tyre wear compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. With an optimised ground pressure distribution feature that reduces rolling resistance, the tyres can provide excellent driving quality and energy conservation and allow for optimal driving range.
The iON evo and iON evo SUV also feature Hankook Sound Absorber™ technology which optimises the multi-pitch sequencing by minimising tread pattern noise to offer a quiet and pleasant ride at all speed ranges.
“The introduction of our newest iON evo and iON evo SUV is in response to meet the unique demands that high-performance EVs place on tires. Hankook Tire has extensive experience in developing tires dedicated to EVs that are already being used by leading global automotive brands. The iON tyres push the limits of performance EVs with class-leading handling, secure wet grip and enhanced mileage while delivering the low rolling resistance, safety and comfort that EV drivers appreciate,” said Seunghyun Kim, Team Manager of Consumer Marketing.
Concurrently, the Ventus Prime 4 tyre is the newest innovation from Hankook Tire for ICE vehicles. The Prime 4 is a generational extension of the award-winning Ventus Prime series that gives a more optimised blend of performance, safety, comfort, and durability. The Ventus Prime 4, along with its SUV variant, is available in 5 sizes ranging from 15″ to 19″.
The tread compound of Ventus Prime 4 consists of a new and highly enriched quality of silica content which is vulcanised at low temperatures for twice the duration compared to regular tyres. This enables increased blending between molecules, bringing greater tread block rigidity and resulting in lower rolling resistance and less wear.
The tread pattern and contour of Ventus Prime 4 are also optimised to achieve a precise level of contact area. The dual structure of the carcass fiber stiffener used for the development of Ventus Prime 4 assures greater resistance. On top of that, it is equipped with a jointless full-cover reinforcement belt that brings ideal tread strength and also utilises high-strength belts to absorb more of the external shock.
With these innovative features, the Ventus Prime 4 offers excellent durability while providing for a more comfortable driving experience. The technological improvements in the Ventus Prime 4 deliver significant benefits including minimised wear, improved mileage, solid driving performance, and at the same time enhanced safety with outstanding braking performance, particularly on wet roads.
“With the Ventus Prime 4 for ICE vehicles, our goal is to continue offering customers the award-winning Ventus Prime tyre series with bolder improvements, specifically on the wear properties. This was available without compromising on other criteria and has led us to the success of the series,” said Oh Hyun Nam, Managing Director of Hankook Tire Malaysia. “The Ventus Prime 4 offers a remarkable durability increase of about 20% compared to its predecessor while achieving even better handling, comfort, and rolling resistance properties.”
Keyword: Hankook Tire Malaysia Introduces iON evo And Ventus Prime 4 Tyres