The Tire Cologne 2022: World and European premieres for Hankook products

- Ventus iON: specially developed line-up for electric vehicles
- Winter i*cept RS3: high-traction winter tires for drivers who spend a lot of time on the road
- i-Flex: European premiere for pre-production, airless concept tires

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, May 12, 2022 – Global leading tire company Hankook Tire is set to attend the top international trade fair for the tire industry, The Tire Cologne. The trade fair will be held live again for the first time in three years and will take place from May 24-26 in Cologne, Germany. Hankook will present three premiering products at the exhibition grounds: Ventus iON, Winter i*cept RS3 and i-Flex. Visitors can find Hankook’s trade fair booth in Hall 8.1 aisle C040/aisle D049.

Hankook will be launching iON, its first family of tires specially designed for electric vehicles in Europe in May 2022, under the memorable name iON (pronounced /ai’on/). By taking this approach, the company is making a decisive contribution, from a tire choice perspective, to advancing the transition of mobility towards zero-emission vehicles.

The Winter i*cept RS3, the new winter tire for drivers who spend a lot of time on the road, was developed as an improved version of the award-winning Winter i*cept RS2. In addition to other improvements, tire mileage has been increased by 10% compared to the previous model. The tire also offers improved braking performance on wet roads.

This is the first time the latest design of the i-Flex airless concept tire has been presented in Europe. The tire made its debut at the start of the year at the industry-leading Consumer Electronics Show (CES) trade fair in Las Vegas, USA.

"Trade fairs like Tire Cologne are of European relevance. This year, Hankook offers a comprehensive line-up of its latest treads. Highlights such as the recently launched iON product line or the i-Flex concept tire show how seriously the company is taking its task of becoming a Future Driving Innovator," says Sanghoon Lee, President of Hankook Tire Europe.

The Hankook iON is the first family of tires to be developed especially for electric vehicles (EV): greater range, quieter to drive

Reducing rolling resistance was a key development objective for the global iON tire family. Compared to conventional tires, for drivers of electric cars, this means more kilometres per battery charge. An extensive set of technical measures ensures the tires meet the ultra-demanding everyday requirements for EV tires. In particular, Hankook has countered the higher vehicle mass of electric vehicles – caused by the considerable weight of the drive batteries – with a higher load capacity. Furthermore, ultra-resistant aramid fibres effectively counteract the deformation forces caused by the especially high torque in electric vehicles.

The engineers also wanted to create a tire that makes as little noise as possible. iON products include Hankook Sound Absorber™ which – in connection with the unique tire pattern – noticeably reduces the level of noise inside the car. The tread compound, which features a high proportion of natural resin, also ensures exemplary durability and reduced wear. Another special feature of the new compound is its high proportion of natural oils. This not only makes the iON products more sustainable overall, but also has a positive effect on the mileage of the tires.

iON products will initially be available in three designs at market launch in sizes from 18 to 22 inches. The summer pattern, Hankook Ventus iON S, will be launched in Europe first from May 2022. The winter tread, Hankook Winter i*cept iON, will be launched in coming winter. Hankook Ventus iON A tire will be available as an all-season version for the North America and Asia market. Further specific product designs will follow.

Dietmar Olbrich, Vice President Marketing & Sales at Hankook Reifen Deutschland says: “We’re delighted to be at Tire Cologne again after the three-year hiatus and to have the opportunity to present the new Hankook products to our customers. The key highlight this year is of course the new iON tire family. There are, however, other great product innovations from the conventional tire segment as well. Stimulating conversations with our customers and partners will round off a fantastic trade fair experience.”

Overview of a modern product portfolio

In addition to the product highlights mentioned at the beginning, other relevant products will also be on show at the Hankook trade fair booth at Tire Cologne in Hall 8.1 – including the Ultra-Ultra-High-Performance Ventus S1 evo Z tire. Moreover, Hankook will be showcasing selected products from the modern truck and trailer tire segment. The SmartFlex AH51 and SmartFlex DH51 which made their debut over the past year, along with fully retreaded Alphatread tire patterns, will complete Hankook’s trade fair offering.