Hankook Tire e-cube: New economic and ecological concept of commercial vehicle radial tyre range for long-haul purpose
October 2nd, 2009
The all new Hankook AL10 e-cube (Image: Hankook Tires)
Hankook Tire has developed a new radial tyre concept with the name of “e-cube” for long-haul commercial vehicles. e-cube thereby symbolises three development directions: all particularly important, equally valuable and thus – geometrically determined – homogenous for this tyre concept: energy (energy = low rolling resistance), economy (economy = high mileage) and environment (environment = reduced hazardous materials and low rolling noise). Starting from a common origin, this produces a three-dimensional geometric shape with equal edge length: The cube.
e-cube however not only stands for a new concept in line with the current spirit of the times, but as an environmentally friendly, economic and advanced overall solution also represents a complete commercial vehicle tyre range which is designed to the highest technical level, comprising tyres for steering and drive axles, together with matching trailer tyres. Optimised for use in European long-haul transport, the e-cube tyres are already available as AL10 e-cube (All Position Long Haul) for the steering axle and DL10 e-cube (Drive Axle Long Haul) for the drive axle in the sizes 295/60 R22.5, 315/80 R22.5 and 315/60R 22.5. The TL10 e-cube (Trailer Long Haul) for trailers is already available in the size 385/65R 22.5. Six further sizes will follow in 2010, including widebase steering axle tyres in the size 385/55 R 22.5, and super-single trailer tyres in the size 445/45R 19.5.
“Hankook is continually investing in the development of new quality products. These help our customers particularly in times such as these, in lowering transport costs while maintaining peak performance, and at the same time improving the environmental balance”, says Jin-Wook Choi, Executive Vice-President of Hankook Tire and European head of the company. “With the new ‘e-cube’ concept, we are catering specifically to the increased demands and needs of the commercial vehicle sector in matters of economy and environmental friendliness, although of course still to the highest safety level.”
The e-cube concept forms part of Hankook’s global development philosophy of “Kontrol Technology” 1). For the truck sector, this has resulted in the UMS. The UMS logo (Ultra Mileage & Safety) – stamped into the shoulder of the tyre – represents the mission and commitment of the company to very high economy, which in the opinion of Hankook Tire cannot be bought at the cost of concessions to safety. All three new profiles also show their application area clearly visible on the new and attractively designed side wall. The pictogram with the stylised motorway refers to the major optimisation for long-haul transport.
The AL10, DL10 and TL10 have been produced using new rubber compounds consistently designed for the application, which are specially tailored for use in international long-haul transport in Europe, and therefore for particularly high mileage. The tread compounds of the new e-cube generation use high-molecular weight rubber with specially long-chain molecules, which also demonstrate a lower tendency to branching and therefore display fewer free chain ends. This results in significantly cooler running tyres and significantly increased mileage. The base tread compound for all three e-cube patterns has also been consistently designed for efficiency. The increase in the proportion of low hysteresis compounds now makes a major contribution to significantly reducing the viscoelastic loss performance necessarily induced in the tread rubber. Less energy is lost, thereby improving the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
The new and innovative Hankook mixing system IMS (Innovative Mixing System) also ensures the much more even distribution of the carbon particles and rubber molecules within the compound. In combination with the extension of the mixing times at reduced temperatures, this results in a significant increase in the bonding rate between carbon and rubber molecules, so that e-cube tyres consequently generate less heat.
Innovative tread designs tailored to the relevant axle position also help to reduce the fuel consumption, without impairing the mileage or performance. The Stiffness Control Contour Theory (SCCT) design technology patented by Hankook in particular ensures greater stability and less movement in the tyre due to the even distribution of internal pressure. This results in significantly improved durability of the carcass in comparison to previous profiles, and promises very good retreading capability and economy.
The effect of the technologies used in the e-cube concept are confirmed by the comparison measurements carried out by the accredited and independent German testing Institute – TÜV Nord. According to the measurements, significant rolling resistance reductions have been achieved, of over 10 percent when compared not only to relevant previous Hankook tyres, but also leading competitor tyres. This would correspond to a saving of half a litre to a litre of fuel per 100 km. The second important criterion for economy, the mileage has also been improved significantly. In fleet trials by international haulage companies, up to 15% better values were achieved in comparison to the predecessors.
All e-cube tyres naturally carry the S-mark (Sound-Mark) prescribed in the European Union from October 2009 for reduced road noise and therefore less noise pollution. Future and stricter European regulations planned for the year 2016 relating to rolling resistance and further noise reductions have already been taken into account in the development of all three tyre types. Their use as original equipment is planned.
