Seoul, Korea / Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 21 July 2021 – Premium tyre maker Hankook is expanding its original equipment business for the supply of tyres 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 tyre 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 tyres in 20 and 21 inch is 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 tyres. We are pleased to be able to further expand and support the portfolio of alternative drive systems with the ID.4 tyres together with our long-standing global original equipment partner Volkswagen,” says Sanghoon Lee, President of Hankook Tire Europe. “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 tyres, 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 tyre 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 optimising 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 tyre 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 tyre’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 tyre 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, tyres equipped with Hankook’s SEALGUARD® technology continue to offer the usual comfort, as their basic construction does not differ from tyres without SEALGUARD®.

Numerous leading vehicle manufacturers are already equipping their electric and hybrid models with Hankook EV tyres 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 tyre 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 tyre 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 tyres.