Kumho Tire Targets Electric Vehicle Market with Dedicated Tires

2013 Domestic First Dedicated Tire Launch
Supplying Electric Vehicle Exclusive Tires to Kia EV6

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Kumho Tire is actively responding to the market by supplying dedicated tires for the rapidly growing electric vehicle market.

According to the tire industry on the 23rd, Kumho Tire recently supplied original equipment (OE) tires for Kia’s ‘EV6’. Two products, the 'All-Season Crugen HP71' and 'Ecsta PS71', are supplied for the EV6.

Both are resonance noise reduction tires incorporating Kumho Tire’s sound absorption technology. In particular, they feature low rolling resistance, wear resistance, and high driving force, fulfilling the functions required of electric vehicle (EV) dedicated tires. These products are low-noise tires that reduce noise (resonance) generated by air vibrations inside the tire caused by contact between the tire tread and the road surface by attaching polyurethane foam sound-absorbing material inside the tire.

Kumho Tire applied the 'K-Silent System' technology, which optimizes the shape and material of the sound-absorbing material to maximize the resonance noise reduction effect. The core of this technology is the shape design considering the design, area, and width of the sound-absorbing material attached to the tire. Kumho Tire developed the ‘K-Silent System’ in 2014 and has completed domestic and international patent registrations for the shape and material of the sound-absorbing material.

Kim In-su, Executive Director of OE Sales, said, “We are proud to supply resonance noise reduction tires applying Kumho Tire’s proprietary K-Silent System technology to Kia’s first pure electric vehicle, the EV6, fulfilling the desire for sustainable mobility. We will continue to grow together by developing differentiated technologies and products in line with the rapid transition to future vehicles by automakers.”

Electric vehicles have characteristics of high output, low noise, and high fuel efficiency, and since they are equipped with batteries weighing about 200 kg, the vehicle weight is also heavy. Therefore, electric vehicle dedicated tires need to be optimized for the performance required by EVs, such as low rolling resistance, low noise, high grip, and wear resistance. While conventional tires were sometimes improved for EV use, recently, the trend is to develop dedicated tires that satisfy the main characteristics of electric vehicles.

Kumho Tire responded quickly to the electric vehicle market. In April 2013, it launched the ‘Wattrun’, the first electric vehicle dedicated tire in Korea, and exclusively supplied it to Renault Samsung’s electric vehicle SM3 Z.E.

Meanwhile, Kumho Tire is supplying the Fortran KC53 in two sizes (17 and 18 inches) for Hyundai Motor’s ‘Staria’. This product is specialized in wear performance and tire durability according to vehicle usage conditions and provides high driving stability. The same OE tires supplied to Kia EV6 and Hyundai Staria are planned to be sold through Kumho Tire’s nationwide distribution network, increasing consumer access in the market and expected to enhance customer satisfaction.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.