Kumho Tire supplies EV tires to Skoda

Kumho Tire's ECSTA PS71 tire / Courtesy of Kumho Tire

Kumho Tire has supplied its electric vehicle (EV) tires for Skoda’s two all-electric models, further expanding its presence in the European tire market, the Korean tire maker said Monday.

Under the supply contract, Kumho Tire’s ECSTA original equipment (OE) tires will be provided to Skoda’s Enyaq and Elroq electric SUVs. The ECSTA series is a signature model of Kumho Tire.

The ECSTA PS71 SUV is specifically designed for sports vehicles, featuring decent handling and braking performance for driving both on dry and wet surfaces.

The tire is also characterized by its robust structure, a greater contact area for improved braking and better fuel efficiency, Kumho Tire said.

Its in-and-out pattern and hybrid technologies ensure handling stability at high speeds, regardless of road conditions.

The ECSTA PS71 lineup accommodates a wide range of vehicles, such as passenger cars, SUVs and even EVs.

“Our supply of OE tires to Skoda is a testament to our quality and technological prowess,” said Kim In-soo, head of OE tire sales at Kumho Tire. “We will continue to leverage our world-class quality and technology to expand our OE tire supply for global premium carmakers.”

In a summer SUV tire test conducted by German automotive magazine Auto Bild Allrad, the ECSTA PS71 SUV tire ranked fourth, demonstrating the tire maker’s industry-leading technological competitiveness. This was the highest ranking among products made by Korean tire makers.

Kumho Tire has also been expanding its OE tire supplies to a number of global carmakers. The company is supplying OE tires for major domestic carmakers, such as Hyundai Motor, Kia, Renault Korea and KGM. Kumho Tire is also widening its supply contracts with major overseas premium automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.

Kumho Tire has set its 2026 sales target at 5.1 trillion won ($3.42 billion). The tire maker is also on track to increase its sales portion of high-inch tires to 47 percent and gradually expand sales for lucrative EV tires.