AMSTERDAM: Apollo Tyres has confirmed that the new Vredestein Quatrac Pro EV, which will become Europe’s first dedicated all-season electric vehicle (EV) tyre when it goes on sale in December, will debut a range of advanced design features and materials.
Developed specifically for year-round use by battery electric vehicles and hybrids, the tyre has been created to deliver greater driving range while providing superior levels of grip and traction in all conditions – including ice and snow.
The new EV tyre has been benchmarked against the current range of award-winning Vredestein all-season tyres. Apollo Tyres’ computer simulations and real-world test programme showed that the new EV tyre delivers superior levels of grip, facilitates increased driving range thanks to its lower rolling resistance and lighter construction, has a lower environmental impact, produces less noise, delivers a quieter and more comfortable ride, and reduces braking distances.
In addition, the Vredestein Quatrac Pro EV has been engineered so that less CO2 is generated during production, contributing to a reduced whole-life carbon impact. The new tyre will be made at Apollo Tyres’ two European production facilities, in Enschede in the Netherlands and Gyöngyöshalász in Hungary.
The new EV tyre’s all-weather performance is fully certified to the highest industry standards for an all-season tyre, allowing it to carry the benchmark "Three Peak Mountain Snowflake" symbol on its sidewall, which confirms its proficiency in winter conditions.
Among the "firsts" for the Quatrac Pro EV are an optimised blend of fourth-generation polymers and "smart" silica in the tread, which maximise wet-surface grip while also delivering low levels of rolling resistance. To reduce energy consumption in use, the construction of the tyre is significantly lighter, thanks to its thinner sidewalls, lower apex and lighter belt material.
The new EV tyre will feature a number of new EV-specific design characteristics. These include longitudinal grooves with much steeper flanks to brace against higher cornering loads, and an outside shoulder that is wider than the inner shoulder to resist deformation and improve dry and wet handling.
Further details of the Vredestein Quatrac Pro EV tyre – including performance data and available dimensions – will be confirmed prior to launch.
Vredestein is a Netherlands-based tyre maker. In 2009, it was acquired by Apollo Tyres Ltd of India.
