With its new logo, BKT seeks to showcase its aptitude for anticipating market needs through its advanced technology.
BKT’s New Logo Embodies its Commitment to Sustainability
The electric mobility transition is an unstoppable trend in every segment. BKT now features tyres suitable for electric vehicles using advanced technologies. We can now recognise products designed specifically for electric mobility by the E-READY logo. With this naming, the company intends to send a clear message to the market: “We are ready”.
BKT’s new logo for the tyre range designed specifically for electric vehicles was unveiled just a few weeks ago. E-READY made its debut at SIMA, imprinted on the AGRIMAXFACTOR tyre (BKT’s all-new 70 series designed for tractors), though it will be extended to all products in this category in the future. In the end,E-READY aims to underscore BKT’s commitment to sustainability.
Electric vehicles weigh more because their batteries may be adding up to 30% extra weight, something that really affects the work of the tyre.
Not only are they heavier, they also move differently than vehicles running on natural gas or gasoline: the vehicle immediately hits maximum power when stepping on the accelerator. This means that load shifts can be faster and more intense than in conventional vehicles, with a consequent effect on tyre wear.
Energy autonomy also plays a decisive role. If an electric vehicle is designed for energy savings, tyres should also be designed not to affect vehicle consumption, such as the case of rolling resistant tyres.
Last but not least, manufacturers are investing heavily on research in vehicle/tyre consistency, even in terms of noise. That’s why designing and developing tyres suitable for electric mobility takes a specific path that differs from combustion vehicles.
Electric Vehicle Tyres vs Conventional Tyres
Here are the main characteristics of tyres designed for electric vehicles in detail.
Weights and sizes.
As mentioned, electric vehicle tyres bear a heavier weight of the vehicle they are equipping, since batteries can increase the weight of a vehicle by as much as 20-30% more than a conventional vehicle. This calls for greater stress resistance and thus a more robust structure, starting with reinforced belts and casing, to a different and specific sidewall and bead design.
Electric motors.
A few additional differences that distinguish an electric vehicle tyre from a conventional one include the ability to “withstand” higher drive torque, especially at the start. In fact, the electric motor gives more thrust to the mechanical transmission, and thus to the wheels, than a conventional vehicle, resulting in greater acceleration. This means that it is absolutely necessary to revisit the tyre’s bead structure to ensure better grip on the rim, especially during acceleration. The tread must also be optimized, both in terms of design and compound.
Electrically powered vehicles have significantly more tyre wear than combustion engine vehicles, which is why a different design is needed to ensure an optimal life cycle.
Autonomy.
If the tyres mounted on an electric vehicle are inadequate, they can cause significant energy losses, since rolling resistance can contribute as much as 20 percent of the vehicle’s energy consumption. In order to adjust the rolling resistance for electric vehicle tyres, without compromising any other performance features, it is necessary to adapt the tread compound, tread pattern, and also the particular sidewall structure. The most suitable tyre for electric vehicles will therefore be the one that is metaphorically less energy intensive. In other words, one whose advanced structure will not affect the electric vehicle’s range.
Noise.
Noise is also something that tyre manufacturers are particularly considering for electric vehicles, whose tyres should have different tread patterns and compound compositions, both natural and synthetic. Size also significantly contributes to a tyre’s quietness.
In this regard, BKT has developed solutions for the electric vehicle market through testing and prototyping. And that’s how the market came to know BKT’s first E-READY tyre: AGRIMAXFACTOR, a new product designed for both transportation and tillage operations. Its features include a technically improved tread pattern for better rideability and smoother impact on the road.
BKT is now also beginning to invest heavily in the e-mobility tyre segment.
