Tyres: the underestimated driver in the transformation of commercial vehicles

The commercial vehicle sector is investing billions in new powertrains, software and charging infrastructure. Tyres, on the other hand, receive little attention in the public debate around the transition to electric mobility. Yet they have a significant influence on the driving performance, energy efficiency and economy of commercial vehicles in general and electric trucks and buses in particular. Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook is continuously developing its bus and truck tyres, as well as its tyre management solutions under the name “Hankook Smart Fleet”, to provide fleet operators with the best possible support in meeting the challenges of the transport transformation.

The new challenge: consistently high axle loads

Battery-electric trucks and buses place new demands on tyres in a form previously unknown in vehicles with internal combustion engines. In conventional trucks and buses, the axle load depends mainly on the payload. In battery-electric trucks and buses, however, the battery’s weight places a consistently high load on the steering axle, while the immediate availability of full torque from a standstill adds further demands on the tyres. Regenerative braking also pushes conventional tyre technology to its limits. Hankook’s response to this was to develop a new range of tyres including the e-SMART City AU56 for electric buses, which has been designed to transmit high torque to the road, combining high load capacity with low rolling resistance.

Rolling resistance matters, whatever the powertrain

A significant portion of a vehicle’s energy is used to overcome rolling resistance. Tyres engineered to minimise this resistance can reduce energy consumption across both internal combustion and alternative powertrains. This makes advanced tyre technology a direct lever for decarbonisation.

As a result, Hankook has always paid particular attention to rolling resistance when developing new commercial vehicle tyres. One result of this development is tread blocks which, thanks to 3D-printed tread moulds, can be designed to be more precise and stable, reducing deformation with every revolution without compromising grip or mileage.

Hankook SmartLife Solutions: the benefits of retreading

For Hankook, conserving resources begins during the design process – not at the end of a tyre’s life. Carcasses are designed from the outset to achieve a second life cycle through regrooving and retreading, which can more than double the mileage of a commercial vehicle tyre. For fleet operators, this translates into lower material use per tonne transported, reduced operating costs and a smaller carbon footprint – all while maintaining the same level of performance.

540 million euros for Hankook’s plant in Hungary

Hankook already has a tyre retreading plant in Germany in the form of Reifen Müller. It is now adding a European production facility for new truck and bus tyres at its site in Hungary.

Hankook has invested 540 million euros in the plant on a production line with an annual capacity of up to 800,000 units. Fleet operators will benefit from production close to the European fleet markets through secure supply chains and shorter transport distances.

Hankook can be found at IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026 at stand E09 in hall 11. Experts from the company will be available there to answer questions.