Picture: Hyundai Press Release
Tire maker Michelin and South Korean automaker, Hyundai, have joined forces to develop next generation tires for Hyundai’s premium electric vehicles. The agreement is part of the five-year agreement signed in 2017 to manufacture exclusive tires for the Hyundai IONIQ 5.
The venture follows the successful completion of the two parties’ first partnership and will lead to a new journey towards developing next-generation tires to be equipped with the Group’s clean, smart and sustainable mobility solutions.
“The collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and Michelin over the past five years contributed to the successful launch of the Hyundai IONIQ 5,” Levy said.
“We are pleased to announce that the relationship has been extended for three more years to continue our work together on new technologies in favor of safer, cleaner mobility. The association between Hyundai Motor Group and Michelin is founded on the same vision and on a shared passion for excellence, performance and innovation that have become increasingly essential factors as we rise to the mobility-related challenges we all face today.”
The deal will run for three years, and its focus will be to carry out experiments and analysis methods related to tires as well as technology exchange. They will aim to develop eco-friendly tires with increased use of sustainable materials; tires optimised for next-generation EV’s and a real-tile tire monitoring system which is aimed to help advance autonomous driving technology.
The tires that will be developed as a result of this partnership, are set to find themselves onto future premium EV models of Hyundai Motor Group. The new tire technology is critical to meet the durability requirements of tires, as well as the driving performance and electric efficiency under high load as the driving range of EVs continues to increase.
“This partnership with Michelin will result in real innovations in tire technology, solidifying Hyundai Motor Group’s position as a leader in the smart mobility industry,” Vice President Kim said. “By fully leveraging our mobility technology and Michelin’s tire expertise, we are confident in our ability to achieve ground-breaking innovations in tire performance enhancement and create synergies in this organic collaboration.”
Hyundai and Michelin also plan to conduct joint research to analyse tire wear, tire load and road friction beyond the current standards of tire pressure and air pressure. The tires are also said to significantly improve drivers ride comfort by reducing vibration and noise generated by EVs at high speeds.
They will also explore ways to increase the use of eco-friendly materials in tires to around 50 percent of the total tire weight from 20 percent currently.
