Vehicle OEM Škoda will fit its first all-electric SUV, the Škoda Enyaq iV, with Hankook’s Ventus S1 evo 3 ev as original equipment, a tire which has been designed specifically for electric vehicle (EV) applications.
The Ventus S1 evo 3 ev has been custom-designed to deliver a low rolling resistance and a high load-bearing capacity to support maximizing an EV’s battery range. The EV tire benefits from a double-layer carcass made using high-performance fibers to provide stability and a low tare weight relative to its size. Furthermore, a specially developed tread compound has been used to deal with the instantaneous torque of the EV, ensuring it provides a high level of grip in all weather conditions.
Due to the reduced sidewall height of the 20in diameter Ventus S1 evo 3 ev, Hankook has placed an extra, steel-based reinforcement in the tire’s bead area to increase sidewall stiffness and to provide a direct steering response.
The tire will be fitted to the Škoda Enyaq iV in sizes to suit rim diameters between 18in and 20in depending on the model type.
“Hankook Tire and Škoda have already worked closely together in the past. So, we are particularly pleased to continue our long-standing and trusted partnership on the brand’s first purely battery-powered SUV,” said Moonhwa Hong, senior vice president and CTO of OE Development Department, Hankook Tire. “The Ventus S1 evo 3 ev, perfectly adapted to the needs of electric vehicles, makes an important contribution to sustainable mobility in combination with the new Škoda model.”
“Hankook continuously invests in research and development and is therefore well prepared for the changes in the mobility industry,” explained Jeongho Park, executive vice president and director of Global OE Innovation Headquarters, Hankook Tire. “This is why many leading vehicle manufacturers are already equipping their electric and hybrid models with Hankook EV tires as a standard.”
