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Hankook Tire expands supplies for new Tesla, Porsche vehicles
A Mercedes-Benz S-Class model is equipped with Hankook Tire's Ventus S1 evo3. Courtesy of Hankook Tire
By Ko Dong-hwan
Korean tire manufacturer Hankook Tire has begun supplying the world's top carmakers by providing parts for electric vehicles (EV), sports cars and German luxury models.
The company recently started shipping tires for flagship EVs including Tesla's Model Y and Model 3, Porsche's Taycan, BMW's i4 and Audi's e-tron GT and Q4 e-tron. Volkswagen, Hyundai and Skoda also received tires for their leading EVs like the ID4, Ioniq 6 and Enyaq iV.
Calling EVs the leaders of future mobility, the company said it has managed to acquire tire-making technologies that are ideal for EVs at times when the vehicles have yet to replace internal combustion engines in the global mobility market.
The accomplishment is a result of Hankook's efforts to supply premium vehicles. By supplying the only part that displays a maker's brand externally, the company believes that supplying original equipment tires (OET) for premium completed cars is a key to success.
"Supplying tires for completed cars requires passing carmakers' stringent qualifications for part suppliers as well as retaining the highest level of tire technologies to befit new models' specifications," an official from the company said.
The company added that acquiring an OET supply deal means its brand and technology have been acknowledged and can likely lead to another supply deal for replacement equipment tires.
The dedication has allowed the company to supply tires for German premium brands' flagship models like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan, the BMW 7 series and Audi's A8.
The company also etched its reputation in global markets for high-octane sports cars. Porsche's Panamera and 718 Boxster, Audi's RS 6 Avant and TT RS come with Hankook tires. So do SUV models like Porsche's Macan and Cayenne, BMW's X-series, Audi's Q8 and Benz's GLC.
Hankook currently supplies new cars in the pipeline for 250 models under 40 brands. The company runs Hankook Technodome, the center of its research and development, and Hankook Technoring, the biggest tire test facility in Asia, as well as five technical centers in five countries.