Hankook Tire’s Kinergy AS ev, a second generation EV tire, was recognized as a finalist in the automotive and transportation segment from the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2018.
During the past, Hankook Tire has received numerous awards from IDEA for its futuristic concept tires – bronze in 2015, winner in 2015, finalist in 2017 – but this is the first for Hankook Tire to receive the award for its mass-produced model.
Kinergy AS ev is characterized by its hyper-low noise environment optimized for electric vehicles as well as comfort, driving performance and handling performance on par with ultra-high performance passenger tires, Hankook says. Its block design, modeled after electric circuits and sidewall design customized for electric vehicles, provides an improved aerodynamic performance for the best driving in all kinds of conditions.
Noise-reducing technologies reduce unpleasant frequencies, and an Aramid Hybrid reinforcement belt exclusive to electric vehicles was used to minimize tread block distortion when changing direction, maintaining optimum grip force to provide better handling performance and improve handling stability.
With the recognition from the IDEA 2018, Hankook Tire has been acknowledged for its design philosophy and infinite potentials to lead the future driving environment, the tiremaker said. Hosted by the Industrial Design Society of America, the IDEA 2018 is a world class design award and is deemed as the world’s top three design awards along with the iF DESIGN AWARD and Red Dot Design Award. Various elements including design innovation, user experience and benefit, corporate social responsibility, aesthetic, etc. are evaluated to select the best design.
