Hankook Tire is expanding its original equipment business for electric vehicles by supplying tires to Volkswagen’s first e-SUV, the ID.4.
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.
