Spotlight: Hankook iON GT

Last summer, Hankook Tire introduced its new iON Innovative Technology as the foundation for a new line of tires designed specifically for electric vehicles. Since then, the tire manufacturer has released the iON evo all-season tire, iON i*cept winter tire, and the iON FlexClimate all-weather tire, but it didn’t stop there. Adding to the lineup, Hankook just announced the new iON GT summer tire, which debuted earlier this month at The Tire Cologne, a biennial, industry-only trade show.

The iON line of tires was developed for EVs in an effort to address road noise, range anxiety, instant torque, and more. All iON tires, including the new GT, use four core technologies that Hankook calls iSoundAbsorber, iSuperMileage, iPerfectGrip, and iExtremeLightness to reduce noise while improving traction and range.

According to Hankook, the iON tires provide 18% less cabin noise, 15% more tread life, 10% better grip, and 6% increased fuel efficiency compared to normal tires built for internal combustion engines. In the iON GT specifically, these technologies were enough for the tire to receive an AAA rating on its European label, the highest possible scores for rolling resistance, wet braking, and road noise. Though it’s only been rated in Europe so far, the iON GT will be released later this year in the North American market, and it’s expected to perform just as well.

The iON GT was also made with sustainability in mind, using a higher concentration of eco-friendly materials than normal tires. The engineers at Hankook used materials like bio-based silica and PET textile chords from existing plastic waste, along with plant-based oils and synthetic rubber made from recovered tires that had been discarded.

As EVs become more and more popular, the need for EV-specific tires becomes evident. Hankook iON tires provide EV drivers with peace of mind and better overall performance by increasing the range between charges, improving traction, and reducing cabin noise. One neat thing about these EV tires is that they can also be used on non-electric cars, with reduced rolling resistance and quieter road noise working on any vehicle. These are important enhancements to the tire industry as auto manufacturers continue to make the transition to all-electric powertrains.

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